Methods in Molecular Biology • 16 Enzymes of Molecular Biology

Taq Polymerase 35

Cydel

Cyde2

Cycle 3

t Dan~ure and anneal pdmere

m m

t Pdmer e0dention

t Danalure and anneal pdmers

emm m

m m

t Primer extention

t Denature and anneal pdmers

m m

m wm

mm me

m m m

t Palmer extention

umm

m

m

Fig. 1. Principle of the polymerase chain reaction.

amplification. Therefore, this system offers an optimal ratio between
specific and unspecific signal.
Characteristically, <1 lag of template in a vol of 100 ilL is used in the
PCR. In this experimental outline, a single copy gene of the human
genome would be in a concentration of 2.5 fM. Primers and enzyme are
used in large excess (1 pM and 1 nM, respectively). The efficiency of