Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

Excerpt

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a laboratory nucleic acid amplification technique used to denature and renature short segments of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequences using DNA polymerase I enzyme, an isolate from Thermus aquaticus, known as Taq DNA. In 1985, PCR was introduced by Mullis and colleagues for which they received a Nobel prize. It is a monumental tool used in biomolecular sciences for its profound ability to examine and detect amplified components of DNA.

PCR is a procedure that selectively focuses on a minuscule segment of DNA in a test tube. Thermostability has the propensity to resist irreversible alterations in chemical and physical properties in extreme temperatures. Following several repetitive cycles of denaturation and renaturation in PCR procedures, Taq polymerase enzyme is preferred due to its heat-stable property, thus, allowing for the continuation of DNA synthesis despite the exposure of primers. PCR has been the prominent procedure of choice in diagnosing a wide array of bacterial and viral infections, as well as screening genetic diseases due to its high sensitivity making it the gold standard testing procedure for numerous samples.