Real-time PCR

A. RNA extraction: RNA extraction is a fundamental technique in molecular biology, crucial for studying gene expression and understanding cellular functions. This experiment aims to isolate RNA from a biological sample, enabling subsequent analyses such as quantitative PCR (qPCR) and RNA sequencing. B. cDNA Synthesis: cDNA (complementary DNA) synthesis is the process of creating a DNA copy from an RNA template. This is crucial because DNA is more stable and easier to work with than RNA for many molecular biology techniques. The enzyme reverse transcriptase is used to transcribe RNA into cDNA. This process enables researchers to study gene expression by converting RNA, which reflects active genes, into a stable DNA form. C. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): PCR is a technique used to amplify specific DNA sequences. It’s akin to photocopying a particular section of a book repeatedly. PCR involves three main steps: 1. Denaturation: heating the DNA to separate its two strands. 2. Annealing: cooling the mixture to allow primers to bind to their complementary sequences on the DNA. 3. Extension: using the enzyme DNA polymerase to extend the primers and synthesize new DNA strands.