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Question

What is the role of primers in PCR?


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Solution

Polymerase chain reaction(PCR):

It is a laboratory technique for rapidly producing and amplifying millions to billions of copies of a specific segment of DNA, which can then be studied in greater detail.

Role of primers in PCR:

  1. The DNA fragments which are to be amplified are determined by selecting primers.
  2. Two primers are used, which determine the beginning and end regions that are to be amplified.
  3. Primers are artificial, short DNA strands having 18-25 base pairs, having not more than 50 nucleotides that are complementary to the end and beginning of the DNA fragment that should be amplified.
  4. It adheres to the DNA template at the ending and starting points where the DNA-polymerase associates and starts the synthesis of the new strand of DNA.

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