PCR is a molecular biology technique that amplifies its target(s) very specifically. Which PCR ingredient specifically targets the DNA of interest?

Question

The buffer
The template of genomic DNA
The magnesium
The primers
The Taq polymerase

To which cellular process is PCR most similar?
DNA repair
DNA replication
Protein synthesis
Transcription
Translation

Answer 1

In PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), the ingredient that specifically targets the DNA of interest is the primers. Primers are short sequences of nucleotides that are complementary to the regions flanking the target DNA sequence. They provide a starting point for DNA synthesis, allowing Taq polymerase to amplify the specific region of interest.

PCR is most similar to DNA replication. Both processes involve the synthesis of new DNA strands using existing DNA as a template, and both require similar enzymes and conditions to proceed.