Primers are______.a)Nucleasesb)Fragments of RNAc)Palindromic sequencesd)Chemically synthesized oligonucleotidesCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

Question

Answer

Primers are chemically synthesized oligonucleotides that are complementary to the regions of DNA and the enzyme DNA polymerase.

Answer

A primer is a short nucleic acid sequence that provides a starting point for DNA synthesis. In living organisms, primers are short strands of RNA. A primer must be synthesized by an enzyme called primase, which is a type of RNA polymerase, before DNA replication can occur.I hope it will help 👍👍👍👍👍

Answer

Definition of Primers:
Primers are chemically synthesized oligonucleotides that are used in molecular biology techniques such as PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) and DNA sequencing. They are short, single-stranded DNA sequences that are complementary to the target DNA sequence and serve as starting points for DNA synthesis.

Explanation:
Primers are commonly used in PCR, a technique that amplifies a specific DNA sequence. In PCR, two primers are designed to bind to the 3' ends of the target DNA sequence on opposite strands. These primers define the region of DNA that will be amplified during the reaction.

Chemically synthesized oligonucleotides:
Primers are chemically synthesized using techniques such as solid-phase synthesis. They are typically around 18-30 nucleotides long and can be designed to have specific sequences. The sequences of primers are carefully designed to ensure specificity and efficiency in amplifying the desired DNA fragment.

Complementary to the target DNA sequence:
Primers are designed to be complementary to the target DNA sequence. This means that the primer sequences are chosen to match the sequence of the DNA region that needs to be amplified. The primers bind to the template DNA during the annealing step of PCR, allowing DNA synthesis to begin.

Starting points for DNA synthesis:
Once the primers have annealed to the template DNA, DNA polymerase can initiate DNA synthesis using the primers as starting points. DNA polymerase extends the primers by adding complementary nucleotides to the growing DNA strand. This process continues until the entire target DNA sequence is amplified.

Conclusion:
In summary, primers are chemically synthesized oligonucleotides that are designed to be complementary to the target DNA sequence. They serve as starting points for DNA synthesis and are crucial components in techniques such as PCR. By using primers, specific DNA sequences can be amplified and analyzed in molecular biology research and diagnostics.

Top Courses for NEETView all

Biology Class 11

Daily Test for NEET Preparation

Topic-wise MCQ Tests for NEET

NEET Mock Test Series - Updated 2026 Pattern

Physics Class 11

Top Courses for NEET

Top Courses for NEET

Related Content

About NEET

NEET Preparation Material

How to Prepare for NEET Exam?

NCERT Based Study Material

NEET Mock Tests

Other Popular Exams

Company