Definitions
The process of amplifying small segments of DNA in a three step, repeated cycle: denaturation, annealing, and extension
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
A mix of chemicals that provides a suitable environment for the process of PCR
PCR Buffer
The scientist who invented PCR
Karry Mullis
(while on a trip in California)
Why does the number of DNA strands grow exponentially during PCR?
the DNA is doubled with each cycle
The field in which genomes of organisms are altered
Genetic engineering
The molecules that contain the genetic information of living organisms
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
The strand of DNA that is being replicated
DNA template
What field was PCR meant to expand?
Genetics
The name of the process that unzips DNA in extreme heat
Denature
The process of locating mutations in inherited genes
Hereditary disease detection
What is the group name of the four DNA bases?
dNTPs
Adding distilled water to this condensed pellet of materials allows for PCR to be started in less steps
Rx pellet
A famous study into the sequence of DNA and genes in the human body
Human Genome Project
The process of attaching DNA primers in cool temperatures
Anneal
When the entire genome of an organism is replicated to create a copy of that organism
Cloning
The control sample of DNA that provides a reference for size and base pair amount
Thin walled vials that allow for easy heat transfer during the process of PCR
PCR reaction tube
The heat resistant enzyme that was discovered and used to make PCR more efficient
Taq polymerase
The last step of a PCR cycle, in which the DNA copy is extended to contain more base pairs than the target sequence
Extension
Meryl Streep's daughter needed this in Mamma Mia to determine her father
Paternity testing
What is the process that allows compares samples of DNA by seeing how far they travel in an electric current?
Gel electrophoresis
The machine that provides and monitors the proper temperature for PCR
Thermocycler
Watson and Crick
The enzyme that reads the DNA template and pulls in the required free nucleotides
DNA Polymerase
the process of amplifying DNA and comparing it to collected samples in order to determine who the original DNA belongs to
DNA fingerprinting