Learning Exercise
The Polymerase Chain Reaction in the Diagnosis of Disease
Students learn the principles of pcr through animations and explanations at the website.They apply their knowledge to a written worksheet that includes questions about pcr as a diagnostic tool.
Course: Introductory classes in biology of infectious diseases
- Material:
- Principles of PCR
- Date last modified:
- August 31, 2000
- Created by:
- Judith Kandel
- License:
-
Share
Discussion and illustrations/animations of the polymerase chain reaction. see more
Exercise
Please review the materials at the website and complete the following worksheet.
Each of the DNA sequences below was derived from a different bacterium A - E.
A
5'AATCGGTCATACGTGCCTGA3'
3'TTAGCCAGTATGCACGGACA5'
B
5'TGAATGCTGACCCTGAATGC3'
3'ACTTACGACTGGGACTTACG5'
C
5'ATTGGTGGAACTTATGTACT3'
3'TAACCACCTTGAATACATGA5'
D
5'GCATACGTACGGTTCCAATG3'
3'CGTATGCATGCCAAGGTTAC5'
E
5'CTTATGTACTTGAATGCTGA3'
3'GAATACATGAACTTACGACT5'
1. What four nucleotide primers would allow replication of the complete DNA
sequence from both strands of bacterium A?
2. To which of the bacteria would each of the following probes bind? To which
strand?
a. 5'AATC3'
b. 5'CTAA3'
c. 5'CTTA3'
d. 5'ATGC3'
3. Design a four-nucleotide probe that will recognize only bacterium E.
4. What is the difference between a probe and a primer?
5. Explain how pcr can be used to identify a pathogen within a specimen from a
patient. Why does pcr have such high sensitivity and specificity as a diagnostic
tool?
Each of the DNA sequences below was derived from a different bacterium A - E.
A
5'AATCGGTCATACGTGCCTGA3'
3'TTAGCCAGTATGCACGGACA5'
B
5'TGAATGCTGACCCTGAATGC3'
3'ACTTACGACTGGGACTTACG5'
C
5'ATTGGTGGAACTTATGTACT3'
3'TAACCACCTTGAATACATGA5'
D
5'GCATACGTACGGTTCCAATG3'
3'CGTATGCATGCCAAGGTTAC5'
E
5'CTTATGTACTTGAATGCTGA3'
3'GAATACATGAACTTACGACT5'
1. What four nucleotide primers would allow replication of the complete DNA
sequence from both strands of bacterium A?
2. To which of the bacteria would each of the following probes bind? To which
strand?
a. 5'AATC3'
b. 5'CTAA3'
c. 5'CTTA3'
d. 5'ATGC3'
3. Design a four-nucleotide probe that will recognize only bacterium E.
4. What is the difference between a probe and a primer?
5. Explain how pcr can be used to identify a pathogen within a specimen from a
patient. Why does pcr have such high sensitivity and specificity as a diagnostic
tool?
Disciplines
Audience
Technical Notes
Requirements
Introduction to concepts of sensitivity and specificity.
Topics
diagnosis of infectious disease
Type of Task
Learning Objectives
To describe the process of pcr.
To discuss the advantages and disadvantages of pcr as a diagnostic tool.