• Question: 1. What is PCR? 2. What (for you) is the most interesting organism that you have found in the hadal zone?

    Asked by to Heather on 19 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Heather Ritchie

      Heather Ritchie answered on 19 Jun 2014:

      PCR is the polymerase chain reaction and it is a technique that scientists use in the lab to amplify a piece of DNA so they can sequence it. Essentially you mix lots of components into a mastermix (these contain enzymes and specially designed molecules for the bit of DNA you want to look at) and add it to some DNA of a species you are interested in and then put it into a machine called a thermocycler and it heats, cools and heats the mixture again where it creates lots of copies of the DNA. Kind of like photocopying one page of a book over and over again until you have lots and lots of copies!

      There are some really cool videos on youtube about PCR. Here are some of my favourites https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5yPkxCLads https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID6KY1QBR5s

      So many of the organisms are incredibly cool but because I work on amphipods I would have to say the supergiant amphipod is my absolute favourite and the most interesting for me. Most of the amphipods are only a few mm long to less than 4cm in length but the supergiants can grow up to 28cm! It is so bizzare! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16834913

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