THE POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION - FROM FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS TO HIGH-SCHOOL PRACTICAL CLASSES

After a decade of intensive use as an in vitro alternative to cloning DNA, PCR is now well established as the default method for DNA and RNA analysis. Recent developments have consolidated this position by the introduction of more robust formats, improvements in thermal cyclers a nd labelling and detection methods. The trend is towards increasing au tomation, although comparatively few diagnostic kits based on PCR are in wide use. At the same time the applications of PCR are being extend ed with modifications such as long, accurate PCR and arrayed oligonucl eotides or expressed sequences. (C) Current Biology Ltd ISSN 0958-1669 .