Question

Name the three steps of PCR and at least two uses for the PCR technique.

a) Denaturation, Annealing, Amplification - Used in genetic testing and forensics
b) Elongation, Replication, Segregation - Used in cloning and DNA sequencing
c) Transcription, Translation, Mutation - Used in gene editing and mutation analysis
d) Integration, Differentiation, Transformation - Used in protein synthesis and cell signaling

Answer 1

The steps of PCR are denaturation, annealing, and extension, which are used to amplify DNA. PCR's uses include genetic testing and forensics.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique is a powerful tool used in molecular biology to amplify DNA sequences. The three steps of PCR are:

1. Denaturation: This step involves heating the DNA to break the hydrogen bonds between the two strands, resulting in single strands of DNA.
2. Annealing: During this step, the temperature is lowered to allow primers to attach to the single-stranded DNA at complementary sites.
3. Extension: Here, the enzyme Taq polymerase synthesizes a new strand of DNA, starting from the primers.

These steps are repeated in cycles to exponentially increase the amount of targeted DNA segment. There are numerous applications for PCR, including:

• Genetic testing, where it is used to identify genetic disorders or to check gene expression.
• Forensic science, where PCR can assist in criminal investigations by analyzing very small samples of DNA for identification purposes.