18. Biotechnology

A molecular biologist has isolated a short segment of DNA that she wants to replicate in vitro. First she heats the DNA, which separates the two strands, and then she adds __________.

In the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, a heating phase and a cooling phase alternate. An original sample of DNA would have to pass through how many total rounds of heating and cooling before a sample is increased eight times in quantity?

Add labels to the figure that follows, which illustrates the components in the PCR reaction.

If the sequence of DNA in Question 12 were amplified using 25 PCR cycles, then the amount of this DNA would be predicted to increase by           -fold.

If the sequence of DNA in Question 12 were amplified using 25 PCR cycles, then the amount of this DNA would be predicted to increase by           -fold.

Why was it important to include a positive control and a negative control in the PCR analysis?

Why was it important to include a positive control and a negative control in the PCR analysis?