The small fragments of a long DNA molecule that are used to detect presence of specific gene or DNA sequence in biological system are known as ‘DNA probes’.
They are produced by following methods:
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By using automated DNA synthesizers, specific sequences of DNA probes can be produced.
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They are also synthesized by biological enzymes, using template DNA.
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They are also present in viral DNA and may be multiple in bacteria.
Their applications in commercial areas are to diagnose infectious disease, identify food contaminants and many more.
