PCR

How it is used

The most common technique in molecular labs. You set up, run and optimize a PCR in a thermal cycler, then check the product on a gel. Each cycle has three steps: denaturation, annealing and extension. 'PCR' means both the method and a single reaction: 'my PCR didn't work'.

Example sentences

1. I set up the PCR with a master mix and ran 35 cycles.

2. The PCR product was about 500 base pairs long.

3. My PCR keeps failing, so I'm going to try a lower annealing temperature.

Common collocations

• run a PCR
• set up a PCR
• PCR product
• PCR conditions
• PCR amplification

Related terms

• primerA short, single-stranded piece of DNA, usually 18 to 25 bases long, that binds to a matching sequence and gives DNA polymerase a starting point for copying.
• amplifyTo make many copies of a specific DNA sequence, usually by PCR.
• qPCRQuantitative PCR, also called real-time PCR: a type of PCR that measures the amount of DNA as it is copied, using a fluorescent signal, to show how much target was in the sample.
• gel electrophoresisA method that separates DNA, RNA or protein fragments by size by pulling them through a gel with an electric current; smaller fragments move faster.
• negative controlA sample or reaction in an experiment that is expected to give no result, used to show that a positive signal is not caused by contamination or error.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

• PCR · Biology

More terms: PCR and Laboratory Methods

• DNA extraction
• cell line
• pipette
• spin down
• western blot