PCR Applications & Clinical Diagnostics Flashcards

Which PCR application is most commonly used in US clinical laboratories to detect SARS-CoV-2?

Answer: RT-PCR (reverse transcription PCR)

RT-PCR is used to detect SARS-CoV-2 because the virus has an RNA genome that must first be reverse-transcribed into cDNA before amplification.

In oncology diagnostics, which PCR-based method is used to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) in leukemia patients?

Answer: Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR)

qPCR is used for MRD detection because it can quantify extremely low levels of residual leukemic cells with high sensitivity.

Which PCR technique is used to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with drug metabolism in pharmacogenomics?

Answer: Allele-specific PCR

Allele-specific PCR uses primers designed to amplify only one allele, making it ideal for distinguishing SNP variants relevant to pharmacogenomics.

In forensic DNA analysis in the US, which PCR-based technique is used to generate a DNA profile for identity comparison?

Answer: STR (Short Tandem Repeat) PCR analysis

STR PCR analysis amplifies multiple short tandem repeat loci simultaneously to generate a DNA profile used by CODIS for identity matching.

Which PCR application is used to diagnose genetic disorders prenatally by analyzing cell-free fetal DNA in maternal blood?

Answer: Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) using qPCR

NIPT uses qPCR or next-generation sequencing on cell-free fetal DNA circulating in maternal plasma to detect chromosomal abnormalities.

For food safety testing in the US, which PCR method allows detection of multiple pathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli simultaneously in a single reaction?

Answer: Multiplex PCR

Multiplex PCR uses multiple primer pairs in one reaction tube to detect several pathogens simultaneously, making food safety screening faster and more cost-effective.