Campbell Biology (11th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-13409-341-0
ISBN 13: 978-0-13409-341-3

Chapter 20 - 20.1 - Concept Check - Page 421: 4

Answer

DNA nucleotides are used as PCR primers, allowing for end replication that’s not possible inside a cell.

Work Step by Step

DNA polymerase runs 3’ to 5’ on the template strand, creating a strand 5’ to 3’. It cannot act independently on the 5’ end of a strand. In the cell, this means an RNA primer sits at the 5’ end of the new strand and cannot be revised later by DNA polymerase. This issue is circumvented in PCR by using DNA nucleotides as primers.
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