1. PCR = DNA ? LB 145 January 27, 2011

2. Does PCR happen inside your body? (How do you raise your temp to 95°C?) PCR was invented in the last 30 years. It exploits our knowledge of another process called ??...

3. Through the process of DNA Replication

4. Why? Each cell must have a way to copy its entire genome –Cell Division –Damage Control Where does this take place?

5. Check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teV62 zrm2P0&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teV62 zrm2P0&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGU uX4PGlCchttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGU uX4PGlCc

7. PCR vs. DNA Replication Similarities? –Copy DNA –Move 5’-3’ via a polymerase enzyme –require primers

8. PCR vs. DNA Replication Differences? –Constant temperature (body temp is 37C) Enzymes are the workhorses –All 3 stages happen simultaneously –Multiple enzymes vs. Taq Polymerase –Leading/Lagging Strand –RNA primers vs DNA primers

9. So, what are we doing again? PCR is selective DNA replication, it exploits our knowledge of the DNA rep. Instead of using difficult (and expensive) enzymes in the body we used more controllable, predictable PCR machines.