Final answer:
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a biotechnology process that makes many copies of a gene or other DNA segment. It is used to rapidly increase the number of copies of specific regions of DNA for further analysis. PCR has various applications in fields such as gene structure and function studies, forensics, medical diagnostics, and evolution research.
Step-by-step explanation:
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a biotechnology process that makes many copies of a gene or other DNA segment. It is used to rapidly increase the number of copies of specific regions of DNA for further analyses. PCR uses a special form of DNA polymerase and short nucleotide sequences called primers to amplify the desired DNA sequence.
PCR has a wide range of applications in various fields such as gene structure and function studies, evolution research, forensic analysis, medical diagnostics, and commercial uses. For example, it can be used to identify the owner of a DNA sample left at a crime scene, analyze paternity, compare ancient DNA with modern organisms, and determine the sequence of nucleotides in a specific region.