POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION

Replicate this section multiple times using the Polymerase Chain Reaction, or PCR which is able to quickly replicate strands of DNA. First, by heating the DNA, it is able to break it into the two strands. Then cooling it causes primers to attach. Next, the DNA polymerase adds new nucleotides as if it were just normal DNA replication, but because the segment is already fully unzipped there does not need to be a lagging strand, simplifying the process. A special DNA polymerase, or Taq polymerase, must be used because otherwise during the heating, the polymerase would also separate like the DNA strand; however, Taq is heat stable due to its native environment in hot springs.