BIOLOGY 1A03 Study Guide - Final Guide: Thermus Aquaticus, Kary Mullis, Thermal Cycler

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Biology
• Course: BIOLOGY 1A03
• Professor: Alastair Tracey Rosa Da Silva

Document Summary

The ability to amplify dna in a tube via the polymerase chain reaction (or pcr) technique was developed by kary. This technique allowed scientists to be able to copy (or amplify) millions of copies of dna from very small starting samples. The ability to replicate dna in a tube, has revolutionized the world of cellular and molecular biology as we know it. To set up a pcr, a sample of dna is placed into a tube containing a buffered solution with essential ions and salts, along with a pair of short single-stranded dna primers (that are usually 15-30 nucleotides in length). These primers will bind in a complementary manner to specific regions of the template dna and serve as starting points for dna copying. Since this is a cell-free system free deoxyribonucleotides (or dntps), are also added within the tube. These dntps are then utilized during the replication process.