thermocycler
Machine that rapidly changes DNA sample temperatures
A thermocycler is an instrument used in molecular biology to amplify a specific DNA sequence through the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) process. It is composed of a heating block that can rapidly change the temperature of the reaction mixture, and a control system that regulates the time and temperature of the heating and cooling cycles.
The thermocycler is essential for PCR because it enables the repeated cycles of heating and cooling required. During the heating phase, the DNA strands in the reaction mixture are separated, or denatured, into two strands. During the cooling phase, the temperature is lowered and the primer anneals, or binds, to the complementary sequence on each strand. The annealed primers act as the starting point for DNA synthesis.
The thermocycler allows for precise control of the temperature and duration of each step of the reaction, which is critical for successful PCR amplification. PCR requires several cycles of denaturation, annealing, and extension, and the thermocycler allows for these cycles to be repeated many times, amplifying the targeted DNA sequence exponentially.
Overall, a thermocycler is an indispensable tool in molecular biology research and is essential for a variety of applications, such as DNA sequencing, genetic analysis, and disease diagnosis.
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