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Primer (DNA)
A short sequence deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that is
paired with one strand of the template DNA, in the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique. In PCR testing (e.g., a paternity test), the primer is selected to be complementary to the analytically-relevant sequence of DNA.
It is the growing end of the DNA chain and it simply provides a free 3'- OH end at which the enzyme DNA polymerase adds on deoxyribonucleotide units (monomers). Which deoxyribonucleotide is added is dictated by base
pairing to the template DNA chain. Without a DNA
primer sequence a new DNA chain cannot form since DNA
polymerase is not able to initiate DNA chains.
DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID (DNA), SEQUENCE (OF A DNA MOLECULE), TEMPLATE, COPLEMENTARY (MOLECULAR GENETICS), DOUBLE HELIX, POLYMERASE, POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION (PCR), POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION (PCR) TECHNIQUE, NESTED PCR |
