Why did Kary Mullis receive the Nobel Prize in 1993?
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Why did Kary Mullis receive the Nobel Prize in 1993?
Kary Banks Mullis (December 28, 1944 – August 7, 2019) was an American biochemist. In recognition of his role in the invention of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, he shared the 1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Michael Smith and was awarded the Japan Prize in the same year.
How much money do you get if you win the Nobel Peace Prize?
In 2016, the Nobel foundation concluded that, along with the gold medal and diploma awarded, a Nobel Prize dollar amount of approximately $1 million dollars should be given to the recipient of the award going forward. The next year in 2017, It was $1 million exactly.
Why did Mullis win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry?
Mullis did indeed win the 1993 Nobel Prize in chemistry for inventing polymerase chain reaction, or PCR. These three letters have recently shot into the public consciousness because PCR is the basis of the most common, gold standard tests for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
How did Kary Mullis discover PCR?
The origins of PCR are usually attributed to Kary Mullis, a technician at the Cetus Corporation, assigned to improve the synthesis of oligonucleotides. He relates that he envisioned the concept PCR while on a camping trip with his girlfriend as part of his 1969 Nobel Prize lecture: [4]: “Dear Thor!,” I exclaimed.
Why is PCR so important?
PCR is a very sensitive technique that allows rapid amplification of a specific segment of DNA. PCR makes billions of copies of a specific DNA fragment or gene, which allows detection and identification of gene sequences using visual techniques based on size and charge.
What is the end goal of PCR?
Typically, the goal of PCR is to make enough of the target DNA region that it can be analyzed or used in some other way. For instance, DNA amplified by PCR may be sent for sequencing, visualized by gel electrophoresis, or cloned into a plasmid for further experiments.
What does PCR allow you to do with DNA?
It is a technique used to amplify a segment of DNA of interest or produce lots and lots of copies. In other words, PCR enables you to produce millions of copies of a specific DNA sequence from an initially small sample – sometimes even a single copy.
What are the disadvantages of PCR?
Table 1
| Advantages of PCR | Disadvantages of PCR |
|---|---|
| Shown to be more cost-effective with selective use than culture and staining | Becomes less cost-effective when performed with a multi-organism PCR approach |
| Increased ability to detect less common organisms such as viruses | Supply costs, machinery fees, training expenses |
