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Applications of PCR - Polymerase Chain Reaction - Applications of PCR. PCR has many exciting and varied applications. Some of these are briefly outlined below.
1. PCR can be used to amplify a specific gene present in different individuals of a species and even in different somatic cells or gametes, say, human sperms. These copies can be used for cloning.
Alternatively, they can be sequenced to obtain information on the mutational changes in the genes of different individuals, cells or gametes. Such data can be used in disease diagnosis, population genetics, estimation of recombination frequencies etc.

2. PCR has been used to study DNA polymorphism in the genome using known sequences as primers. Synthetic nucleotides of any sequence can be used as random primers to amplify polymorphic DNAs having sequences specific to the primers used.

Such an application of PCR generates random amplified polymorphic DNA' (RAPD, pronounced as 'rapid'), which is detected as bands after electrophoresis. RAPD bands of different strains or species can be compared. They can be used to construct RAPD maps, similar to RFLP maps (Appendix-4.III).

3. PCR can be used to detect the presence of a gene transferred into an organism (transgene) by using the end sequences of the transgene for amplification of DNA from the putative transgenic organism. Amplification will occur only when the transgene is present in the organism; the amplified DNA is detected as a band on the electrophoretic gel.

4. Microdissected segments of chromosomes, e.g., of salivary gland chromosomes of Drosophila, can be used for PCR amplification to determine the physical location of specific genes in chromosomes.

5. PCR can be used to determine the sex of embryos. Thus the sex of in vitro fertilized cattle embryos could be determined using Y chromosome specific primers before their implantation in the uterus.

 
 

 
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