Gene Amplification: Understanding Primer Annealing in PCR

What is the role of primers in gene amplification?

A. To amplify specific segments of a gene

B. To regulate gene expression

C. To repair damaged DNA

D. To code for proteins

Answer:

The correct answer is A. To amplify specific segments of a gene.

In gene amplification, primers play a crucial role in amplifying specific segments of a gene. They are short sequences of DNA that bind to complementary sequences on the DNA strands, allowing DNA polymerase to initiate DNA synthesis and amplify the target gene. Without primers, gene amplification through techniques like Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) would not be possible.

During PCR, the primers anneal to their complementary sequences on the DNA strands. The forward primer binds to the template/bottom strand, moving from 3' to 5', while the reverse primer binds to the coding strand, moving from 5' to 3'. The annealing of primers is a crucial step in the gene amplification process as it allows for the specific amplification of the target gene segment.