A short strand of DNA or RNA used to detect an unknown nucleic acid in a patient specimen best describes a:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A nucleic acid probe is a short strand of DNA or RNA that is labeled with a detectable marker and used to hybridize to a complementary sequence within a patient specimen. This allows for the detection of specific genetic sequences or pathogens in the specimen. Restriction enzymes are used to cut DNA at specific recognition sites, primers are short DNA sequences used to initiate DNA replication, and restriction fragment length polymorphisms are variations in DNA that can be detected via restriction enzyme digestion and gel electrophoresis.

A Short Strand of DNA or RNA Used to Detect