In vitro method for producing large amounts of specific DNA or RNA fragments of defined length and sequence from small amounts of short oligonucleotide flanking sequences (primers). The essential steps include thermal denaturation of the double-stranded target molecules, annealing of the primers to their complementary sequences, and extension of the annealed primers by enzymatic synthesis with DNA polymerase. The reaction is efficient, specific, and extremely sensitive. Uses for the reaction include disease diagnosis, detection of difficult-to-isolate pathogens, mutation analysis, genetic testing, DNA sequencing, and analyzing evolutionary relationships.
A technique for amplifying defined regions of DNA.
A reaction that uses the enzyme DNA polymerase to catalyze the formation of more DNA strands from an original one by the execution of repeated cycles of DNA synthesis. Functionally, this is accomplished by heating and melting doublestranded (hydrogen bonded) DNA into single-stranded (nonhydrogen bonded) DNA and producing an oligonucleotide primer complementary to each DNA strand. The primers bind to the DNA and mark it in such a way that the addition of DNA polymerase and deoxynucleoside triphosphates cause a new strand of DNA to form which is complementary to the target section of DNA. The process described previously is repeated again and again to produce millions of copies of the desired strand of DNA. PGR and its registered trademarks are the property of F. Hoffmann-La Roche & Co. AG, Basel Switzerland.
The technique used to amplify genetic material in order to analyse it for genetic disorders, e.g. material from a single cell in an embryo.
An enzymatic method for the repeated copying, and thus amplification of two strands of DNA that make up a particular gene sequence.
A laboratory technique capable of detecting cells that contain the AIDS (HIV) virus, in its active or inactive form.
A compound present in the urine in porphyria, a congenital metabolic disease.
A process that permits making, in the laboratory, unlimited numbers of copies of genes. This is done beginning with a single molecule of the genetic material DNA. The technique can be used in investigating and diagnosing numerous bacterial diseases, viruses associated with cancer, genetic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, human immunodeficiency virus, pemphigus vulgaris, and various diseases of the blood (e.g., sickle cell anemia) and of muscles.
A highly effective method for detecting DNA or RNA from minuscule amounts of an infectious agent, such as a virus, is known as polymerase chain reaction (PCR).