CHM 1321 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Human Genome Project, Thermus Aquaticus, Kary Mullis

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Chemistry
• Course: CHM 1321
• Professor: Rashmi Venkateswaran

Document Summary

Kary mullis invented the pcr technique in 1985. Polymerase chain reaction (pcr) is a technique that is used to amplify trace amounts of dna located in or on almost any liquid or surface where dna strands may be deposited. Such as a specific person, animal, or other organisms. of the trace dna or rna found in or on almost any sample of material. Pcr amplification is only part of the identifying test. Once the amplification of the dna or rna is done, the amplified segments need to be compared to other nucleotide segments from a known source. This comparison is done by placing pcr-generated nucleotide sequences next to the known nucleotide sequences from humans, pathogens, or other sources, in a separating gel. Electrical current is run through the gel and the various nucleotide sequences form bands that resemble a ladder according to their electrical charge and molecular size.