Final answer:
The general steps of PCR in part 2 of the lab include preparing a reaction mix with template DNA, primers, polymerase, dNTPs, and ddNTPs, and then running the PCR cycles, which involve denaturation, annealing, and DNA synthesis, to amplify DNA.
Step-by-step explanation:
General Steps for Setting Up PCR Reactions in Part 2 of the Lab
In part 2 of the lab, the general steps for setting up Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) include mixing essential reagents and running the protocol in a PCR machine. These reagents comprise the template DNA, primers, DNA polymerase, deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs), and fluorescently labeled dideoxynucleotide triphosphates (ddNTPs). The PCR cycle is then initiated, which consists of three steps: denaturation at a high temperature to separate the double-stranded DNA, annealing at a lower temperature to align the primers with the complementary DNA sequences, and DNA synthesis at an intermediate temperature, where the polymerase enzyme extends the primers to form new strands of DNA.
DNA amplification during PCR follows a cycle of these three steps. In the first cycle, original DNA strands serve as templates for synthesizing new strands, which in subsequent cycles also become templates, resulting in exponential amplification. A typical PCR reaction may involve around 30 such cycles.