key term - Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

Definition

PCR is a laboratory technique used to amplify specific DNA sequences, making millions of copies from a small initial sample. It involves repeated cycles of temperature changes that facilitate the replication process.

Related terms

Taq polymerase: A heat-resistant enzyme derived from the bacterium Thermus aquaticus that is used in PCR to synthesize new strands of DNA at high temperatures.

Denaturation:

The process by which double-stranded DNA is separated into two single strands by high temperature, typically the first step in PCR.

Annealing:

In PCR, this refers to the cooling phase where short DNA primers bind to each single-stranded template for replication to begin