The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a powerful and sensitive technique for DNA amplification (1). PCR amplifies specific DNA
sequences exponentially by using multiple cycles of a three-step process. First, the double-stranded DNA template is denatured at a high temperature. Sequence-specific primers are then annealed to sites flanking the target sequence. A thermostable DNA polymerase, such as Taq DNA Polymerase (2–6), then extends the annealed primers, thereby doubling the amount of the original DNA sequence. This newly synthesized product then becomes an additional template for subsequent cycles of amplification. These three steps are repeated for 20 to 30 cycles, resulting in a 105–109 fold increase in target DNA concentration.