4.3.1 Overview

PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) errors refer to inaccuracies or unintended changes that occur during the DNA amplification process. These errors can arise from multiple sources and significantly affect the accuracy and reliability of the results.

• Substitution errors: Incorrect nucleotides are incorporated during the synthesis of the new DNA strand, leading to point mutations.
• Insertion and deletion (Indel) errors: Extra nucleotides may be inserted, or existing nucleotides may be deleted during DNA synthesis, causing frameshift mutations.
• Chimeric sequences: Sequences from different template molecules can be incorrectly joined together, creating hybrid sequences that do not exist in the original sample.

Sparkling

Identifying and understanding the causes and types of PCR errors is essential for optimizing protocols and achieving high-fidelity amplification.