PCR, next-generation sequencing, and CRISPR gene editing technology concepts at the introductory genomics level.
30 cards · basic cards · AI-written, checked twice. Edit anything.
- What does PCR stand for?
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- What is the main purpose of PCR?
- To amplify a specific segment of DNA into millions of copies
- Who invented PCR in 1983?
- Kary Mullis
- Which enzyme is used to synthesize new DNA strands during PCR?
- Taq DNA polymerase
- From what organism is Taq polymerase originally derived?
- Thermus aquaticus, a heat loving bacterium
- What are the three steps of a single PCR cycle, in order?
- Denaturation, annealing, extension
- What happens during the denaturation step of PCR?
- The DNA is heated (about 95C) so the double strand separates into two single strands
- What happens during the annealing step of PCR?
- Primers bind to their complementary sequences on the single stranded DNA template
- What happens during the extension step of PCR?
- DNA polymerase adds nucleotides to the primer, synthesizing a new complementary DNA strand
- What is a primer in PCR?
- A short, synthetic single strand of DNA complementary to the start of the target sequence, needed to begin DNA synthesis
- What does NGS stand for?
- Next-Generation Sequencing
- What is the key advantage of NGS over Sanger sequencing?
- It sequences millions of DNA fragments in parallel, rather than one at a time
- What method does Sanger sequencing use to stop DNA synthesis at each base?
- Chain termination using dideoxynucleotides (ddNTPs)
- What is the basic principle behind Illumina sequencing?
- Sequencing by synthesis: a fluorescent signal is detected each time a base is added to a growing DNA strand
- In sequencing, what is a 'read'?
- A short stretch of DNA sequence produced by a sequencer