PCR Applications Guide

Overview of PCR
The PCR process includes several steps: denaturation where DNA strands are melted and separated, annealing where the primers anneal to template DNA, and extension where the enzyme works to elongate the DNA strands.  These steps are carried out 20-35 times in a thermal cycler to produce many replicates of the DNA template.  PCR is highly efficient and specific, generating over 10 million copies of target DNA from just a few molecules.  Because the PCR process is so sensitive and specific, it is important to choose high quality PCR products to produce optimal results.

Since the introduction of our first thermal cycler in 1987, we have continued to develop and support new PCR instruments and reagents to advance molecular biology research. Today we offer a variety of thermal cyclers with features that suit a range of research needs. We offer special chemistries and thermal cyclers that enable researchers to speed up this process, delivering results in just a third of the time.  From thermal cyclers, enzymes, dNTPs, and plastics to award-winning service, Applied Biosystems offers you what you need for PCR success.

Find Your Application

We have all of the PCR products you need for wherever your applications take you. Find your application below and see which thermal cyclers, enzymes, dNTPs, and plastics we recommend for your research.

	Application	Recommended Enzymes	Compatible Thermal Cyclers
Cloning	PCR is the preferred method to obtain a higher abundance of target DNA to clone. Downstream applications using high-purity cloned genes include: cDNA library construction Gene family characterization Large-scale genome mapping using YACs/ BACs	AmpliTaq® 360 DNA Polymerase AmpliTaq Gold® 360 DNA Polymerase GeneAmp® High Fidelity PCR System	Veriti® Thermal Cyclers GeneAmp® PCR System 9700 2720 Thermal Cycler
Expression Analysis	Use RT-PCR to convert RNA into cDNA, then amplify the cDNA. Applications include: Rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) to amplify unknown cDNA Differential display PCR Detection of rare transcripts Quantitative gene expression	GeneAmp® Gold RNA PCR Kit High Capacity RNA-to-cDNA Master Mix (for high throughput applications) High Capacity RNA-to-CDNA Kit (for general use)	Veriti® Thermal Cyclers GeneAmp® PCR System 9700 2720 Thermal Cycler
Genotyping	Use PCR to study differences in DNA sequences. Related applications include: Allele-specific PCR Fragment-length polymorphism analysis Haplotyping Linking emulsion PCR SNP analysis Microsatellite studies	AmpliTaq® 360 DNA Polymerase AmpliTaq Gold® 360 DNA Polymerase	Veriti™ Thermal Cyclers GeneAmp® PCR System 9700 2720 Thermal Cycler
Mutagenesis	Use PCR to perform site and random mutagenesis for: Protein, RNA, and DNA structure-function relationships Protein engineering Adding unique restriction sites DNA shuffling and library construction	GeneAmp® High Fidelity PCR System	Veriti™ Thermal Cyclers GeneAmp® PCR System 9700 2720 Thermal Cycler
Sequencing	Use direct (noncloning) sequencing for: Mutation detection Candidate gene analysis Genetic linkage studies Evolutionary studies Genome (gap filling and shotgun) sequencing Primer walking	AmpliTaq® 360 DNA Polymerase AmpliTaq Gold® 360 DNA Polymerase AmpliTaq Gold® Fast PCR Master Mix, UP GeneAmp® High Fidelity PCR System	Veriti™ Thermal Cyclers GeneAmp® PCR System 9700 2720 Thermal Cycler
Bacterial Gene Amplification	Use PCR to analyze bacterial genomes—vital for antibiotic and vaccine development. Also useful for: Pathogen detection Amplified fragmentlength polymorphism (AFLP) analysis used in comparative bacterial genomics	AmpliTaq Gold® Fast PCR Master Mix, UP	Veriti™ Thermal Cyclers GeneAmp® PCR System 9700 2720 Thermal Cycler
Viral Gene Amplification	PCR assays are a highly sensitive, specific, and fast means of detecting viruses for: Nucleic acid sequencebased amplification (NASBA) Pathogen detection	AmpliTaq® 360 DNA Polymerase AmpliTaq Gold® 360 DNA Polymerase	Veriti™ Thermal Cyclers GeneAmp® PCR System 9700 2720 Thermal Cycler
Fast PCR	PCR can be performed faster for unique PCR screening applications. Such applications include: High-throughput screening Colony PCR library screening Rapid genotyping of transgenic animals	GeneAmp® Fast PCR Master Mix AmpliTaq® Gold Fast PCR Master Mix, UP (for sequencing applications)	Veriti™ 96-Well Fast Thermal Cycler or Veriti 96-well Thermal Cycler (0.2 mL)
Long PCR (5-20 kb)	An enzyme blend efficiently amplifies larger targets for: Sequence mapping Mitochondrial genome PCR Gene cluster studies cDNA cloning of long transcripts	GeneAmp® High Fidelity PCR System	Veriti™ Thermal Cyclers GeneAmp® PCR System 9700 2720 Thermal Cycler
Multiplex PCR	Use multiplex PCR to amplify many targets in a single tube. This method provides target-specific amplification with primers specific for each target. Used for: Human identification studies Variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) screenin	AmpliTaq Gold® 360 DNA Polymerase	Veriti™ Thermal Cyclers GeneAmp® PCR System 9700 2720 Thermal Cycler