Final answer:
The essential components for PCR are both DNA primers, which initiate the synthesis, and DNA polymerase, such as Taq polymerase, which synthesizes new DNA strands. Reverse transcriptase is only required in RT-PCR, not standard PCR.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a technique used to amplify a specific DNA sequence. To carry out PCR, several key components are essential. These components include DNA primers and DNA polymerase. DNA primers are short pieces of DNA that are complementary to each end of the target sequence and are required to initiate DNA synthesis. DNA polymerase, such as Taq polymerase, is the enzyme that synthesizes new strands of DNA by extending the primers. It's crucial that the polymerase is resistant to the high temperatures used in the PCR process.
In contrast, reverse transcriptase is used in Reverse Transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR), which involves creating cDNA from an RNA template before the PCR begins. This enzyme is not required for standard PCR. Antisense RNAs are also not components of the PCR process. Therefore, the essential components in PCR are both DNA primers and DNA polymerase.