Primer (molecular biology)
Primer (molecular biology)
A Primer (pronounced: /ˈpraɪmər/) in the context of Molecular Biology, is a short nucleic acid sequence that provides a starting point for DNA Synthesis.
Etymology
The term "Primer" is derived from the Latin word 'primus' meaning 'first', which is fitting as a primer is the first piece of DNA or RNA that initiates the synthesis process.
Function
In molecular biology, primers are essential for techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA Sequencing. They are synthesized to match the ends of the target DNA segment, allowing the DNA Polymerase to attach and begin the replication process.
Related Terms
- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): A method widely used in molecular biology to make several copies of a specific DNA segment.
- DNA Sequencing: The process of determining the nucleic acid sequence – the order of nucleotides in DNA.
- DNA Polymerase: A type of enzyme that is responsible for forming new copies of DNA, in the form of nucleic acid molecules.
- Nucleic Acid: A complex organic substance present in living cells, especially DNA or RNA, whose molecules consist of many nucleotides linked in a long chain.
- DNA Synthesis: The natural or artificial creation of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Primer (molecular biology)
- Wikipedia's article - Primer (molecular biology)
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski