Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction: DNA in Motion Capture

2007-03-08 10:33:40

( Education )



AMPLIFY AND QUANTIFY

Real time polymerase chain reaction or real time PCR for short is a laboratory procedure that takes a specific portion of a DNA molecule, magnifies or amplifies that section to check if a specific protein or sequence is present in that section or not. If the protein sequence is present, real time PCR will also check in how much of the sequence is present in that DNA portion.

Real time PCR protocol is not a totally new technology. It is actually a modern version or evolution of the older polymerase chain reaction. The main difference is that the DNA segment is quantified after every round of testing to check for real-time changes that may be taking place within the DNA strand. This enables scientists to capture a DNA’s most present condition and also monitor its reactions under varying situations.

DRUG TESTING AND DIAGNOSIS

Because real time polymerase chain reaction captures the changes that a DNA undergoes over time, the technique has been widely used to test the efficacy and safety of new drugs and treatment protocols. Pharmaceutical companies have invested heavily on real time PCR machines to discover new drugs and subsequently test if the drugs are viable for human use or not.

Another valuable application of real time polymerase chain reaction is in testing for viral infections in patients. Real time polymerase chain reaction testing produces immediate but correct results. The fast turnaround time of real time polymerase chain reaction enables doctors to make a quick but accurate diagnosis. This then allows doctors to immediately dispense the proper course of treatment and medications that the illness calls for.

While newer research techniques have been discovered, real time polymerase chain reaction is a highly sensitive research tool that yields fast and accurate results at a relatively lower cost. This is the reason why real time PCR protocol is widely used and accepted throughout the scientific and medical community.


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