Question

EXPLAIN each answer thoroughly.

There are two common goals when using PCR to amplify DNA.

A. Make lots of copies of a specific DNA sequence to use in cloning (preparative PCR)

B. Detect the presence or relative amount of a specific gene under varying conditions (analytical PCR)

*Remember: PCR is very similiar to DNA replication, but uses a DNA polymerase to amplify only specific parts of DNA sequence based on the sequence of the primers.

3. For which goal (A or B) would it be beneficial to havr an accurate DNA polymerase (that doesn’t make mistakes about which nucleotide to attach to the growing polymer)?

4. For which goal (A or B) is it mote important that PCR work efficiently and consistently?

5. For which goal (A or B) is it more important that only one sequence is amplified?

6. Which goal (A or B) would give you more flexibility when determining what the sequence of the primers should be?

Answer 1

3. An accurate DNA polymerase will be beneficial to achieve goal since, goal A focuses on making lots of copies of specefic DNA sequences.

4. Goal B is analytical PCR, so it is important that PCR work efficiently and consistently. The efficiency of PCR depends on rhe number of gene molecules obtained after the PCR.

5. PCR is amplification of particular DNA sequence. So to achieve this goal, only one sequence should be amplified. Goal A answer.

6. Detecting the presence of a specific gene under varyinf conditions gives the flexibility to determine the sequence of the primers. so the answer is Goal B.