Final answer:
A researcher can use a synthetic DNA probe to identify the clone for a gene that has not been sequenced but for which the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein is known. The DNA probe is a labeled, single-stranded DNA fragment complementary to part of the gene of interest.
Step-by-step explanation:
A researcher can use a synthetic DNA probe to identify the clone for a gene that has not been sequenced but for which the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein is known. The DNA probe is a single-stranded DNA fragment that is complementary to part of the gene of interest and different from other DNA sequences in the sample. The DNA probe can be chemically synthesized or created by cloning a DNA fragment from a living organism. It must be labeled with a molecular tag, such as radioactivity or fluorescence, to allow detection in the sample.