The Steps of PCR definitions Flashcards

A cyclical process amplifying DNA by denaturing at high temperatures, annealing primers at low temperatures, and extending new strands with thermostable DNA polymerase at moderate temperatures.

A technique to amplify DNA by cycling through denaturation, annealing, and extension steps, using heat-stable DNA polymerase to exponentially replicate the target sequence.

The process where high temperatures break hydrogen bonds in DNA, separating it into single strands, allowing each to serve as a template for replication.

Annealing is the process in PCR where DNA primers bind to single-stranded DNA at cooler temperatures, enabling the next step of DNA synthesis.

The step in PCR where Taq polymerase synthesizes new DNA strands by adding nucleotides to the primers at moderate temperatures, typically around 72°C.

A molecule that carries genetic instructions in all living organisms, composed of two strands forming a double helix, with sequences of four types of nucleotides encoding biological information.

An enzyme that synthesizes new DNA strands by adding nucleotides to a pre-existing strand during DNA replication or PCR, functioning optimally at specific temperatures.

A thermostable enzyme used in PCR to synthesize DNA at high temperatures, enabling the amplification of DNA sequences through repeated cycles of denaturation, annealing, and extension.

Building blocks of DNA and RNA, each consisting of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. They are essential for storing genetic information and energy transfer in cells.

The building blocks of DNA, each consisting of a phosphate group, a deoxyribose sugar, and one of four nitrogenous bases: adenine, thymine, cytosine, or guanine.

The DNA strand that serves as a pattern for synthesizing a complementary strand during processes like PCR.

Short DNA sequences that bind to specific regions of the template DNA during PCR, enabling DNA polymerase to initiate replication.

Attraction between a hydrogen atom in one molecule and an electronegative atom (like oxygen or nitrogen) in another, crucial for DNA structure and protein folding.

The process where specific nitrogenous bases (A-T and G-C) pair via hydrogen bonds, ensuring accurate DNA replication and transcription.

A DNA molecule consisting of a single strand of nucleotides, often used as a template in processes like PCR after denaturation separates the double-stranded DNA.

A molecule consisting of two complementary strands of nucleotides, held together by hydrogen bonds between paired bases, forming a double helix structure.

A heat-resistant enzyme used in PCR to synthesize DNA at high temperatures, ensuring the DNA polymerase remains active during the denaturation step.

A specific DNA sequence targeted for amplification or study in PCR, often chosen for its relevance to the research or diagnostic purpose.

The end of a DNA or RNA strand with a free phosphate group attached to the fifth carbon of the sugar molecule.

The end of a DNA strand where the hydroxyl group (-OH) is attached to the third carbon of the sugar ring, crucial for DNA synthesis directionality.

A temperature scale where water freezes at 0^oC and boils at 100^oC, used to measure thermal conditions in biological processes like PCR.