Question

The local crime lab wants to stop using Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) to study DNA. Instead, they want to use Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). How would they MOST accurately implement this new technique? A. They would use an enzyme to cut DNA strands into smaller sections. B. They would combine DNA using a process known as hybridization. C. They would use small samples of DNA to create long strands of DNA. D. They would examine tandem repeats on a nuclear strand of DNA.

Answer 1

The local crime lab would most accurately implement the new technique of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) by:

C. They would use small samples of DNA to create long strands of DNA.

PCR is a technique used to amplify small amounts of DNA into larger quantities. It involves several steps:

1. DNA Extraction: Small samples of DNA are obtained from the crime scene or evidence.

2. Denaturation: The DNA sample is heated to separate the double-stranded DNA into single strands.

3. Annealing: Primers, short DNA sequences that are complementary to specific target regions, are added to the DNA sample.

4. Extension: DNA polymerase, an enzyme, is used to extend the primers and synthesize new strands of DNA.

5. Repeated Cycling: The process of denaturation, annealing, and extension is repeated multiple times to exponentially amplify the DNA.

Option C aligns with the PCR process by mentioning the use of small samples of DNA to create long strands of DNA, which represents the amplification step in PCR. This technique is more commonly used in DNA analysis as it allows for higher sensitivity and greater accuracy compared to Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP), which involves cutting and analyzing DNA fragments of different lengths.