Another application of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is to screen samples for the presence of viruses. For example, do you remember the Ebola outbreak? A blood sample can be sent for PCR based analysis. In this instance, many copies of viral specific DNA sequences are made to cross a detection threshold. Each Ebola virus is composed of a single strand of RNA approximately 18,950 nucleotides long enclosed in a cylindrical viral envelope. In some laboratories, the first step might be to incubate the samples with the enzyme reverse transcriptase. Why might this be?

Question

Moshe Mullins

Biology

28 June, 17:55

Another application of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is to screen samples for the presence of viruses. For example, do you remember the Ebola outbreak? A blood sample can be sent for PCR based analysis. In this instance, many copies of viral specific DNA sequences are made to cross a detection threshold. Each Ebola virus is composed of a single strand of RNA approximately 18,950 nucleotides long enclosed in a cylindrical viral envelope. In some laboratories, the first step might be to incubate the samples with the enzyme reverse transcriptase. Why might this be?

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Jonathan · Answer 1

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) may be defined as the molecular technique use to amplify the DNA segment. Enzymes like Taq polymerase, magnesium ions and primers are used in PCR.

The PCR of ebola virus requires reverse transcriptase enzyme. This enzyme is used for the conversion of RNA into DNA. The ebola virus has RNA its genetic material so it needs to be converted into DNA as PCR has the ability to amplify the DNA molecule and not the RNA molecule.