The term ‘Polymerase Chain Reaction’ is often mentioned in news in the

The term ‘Polymerase Chain Reaction’ is often mentioned in news in the context of

[amp_mcq option1=”alternate sources of energy” option2=”production of safe plastics” option3=”developing hypersonic missiles” option4=”diagnosis of infectious diseases” correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in
UPSC Geoscientist – 2022
The correct answer is (D) diagnosis of infectious diseases.
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a laboratory technique used to amplify or make many copies of specific DNA sequences. This allows for the detection of even tiny amounts of genetic material from pathogens.
PCR is a fundamental tool in molecular biology and is widely used in various fields, including genetic research, forensics, and particularly in the diagnosis of infectious diseases like COVID-19, HIV, influenza, and many bacterial or viral infections by detecting the presence of the pathogen’s genetic material.