Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 20: Problem 12

If you performed a PCR experiment starting with only one copy of double- stranded DNA, approximately how many DNA molecules would be present in the reaction tube after 15 cycles of amplification?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: After 15 cycles of PCR amplification, there would be approximately 32,768 DNA molecules present.

Step by step solution

01

Understand the PCR amplification process

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a molecular biology technique used to amplify specific DNA regions. In each cycle of PCR, the number of DNA molecules doubles. Therefore, the number of DNA molecules after a certain number of cycles can be calculated using the formula: N = N₀ * 2^n, where N is the final number of DNA molecules, N₀ is the initial number of DNA molecules, and n is the number of cycles.
02

Calculate the number of DNA molecules after 15 cycles

In this exercise, we start with one copy of double-stranded DNA (N₀ = 1) and we want to find out how many DNA molecules there are after 15 cycles (n = 15) of amplification. We can use the formula mentioned in Step 1: N = N₀ * 2^n. Plugging in the values, we get: N = 1 * 2^15.
03

Simplify the expression to find the final number of DNA molecules

Now we just need to evaluate the expression: N = 1 * 2^15 = 2^15. Using a calculator or manually calculating, we get: N = 32,768.
04

Provide the answer

So, after 15 cycles of PCR amplification starting with only one copy of double-stranded DNA, there would be approximately 32,768 DNA molecules present in the reaction tube.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

What advantages do cDNA libraries provide over genomic DNA libraries? Describe cloning applications where the use of a genomic library is necessary to provide information that a cDNA library cannot.

What is a cDNA library, and for what purpose can it be used?

The introduction of genes into plants is a common practice that has generated not only a host of genetically modified foodstuffs, but also significant worldwide controversy. Interestingly, a tumor-inducing plasmid is often used to produce genetically modified plants. Is the use of a tumor-inducing plasmid the source of such controversy?

Assume you have conducted a DNA sequencing reaction using the chain- termination (Sanger) method. You performed all the steps correctly and electrophoresced the resulting DNA fragments correctly, but when you looked at the sequencing gel, many of the bands were duplicated (in terms of length) in other lanes. What might have happened?

Although many cloning applications involve introducing recombinant DNA into bacterial host cells, many other cell types are also used as hosts for recombinant DNA. Why?
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Biology Textbooks

Plant Biology

Read Explanation

Communicable Diseases

Read Explanation

Reproduction

Read Explanation

Control of Gene Expression

Read Explanation

Ecosystems

Read Explanation

Cellular Energetics

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free