PCR Test: How to Check if Your DNA is Genetically Modified?

Only scientists, researchers, and people in the medical field have been familiar with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests for years. But since COVID-19 rapidly spread around the world in 2020, people have started to talk about getting a PCR test to know if the virus infects them.

The UK government advised getting tested before leaving the country for a trip. It is because a fit to fly PCR test certificate could be a requirement for your trip abroad. But as you book your COVID-19 travel test, it would be interesting to know how PCR tests work and what is its other purposes such as checking genetically modified DNAs.

What is a PCR Test?

PCR is a laboratory-developed technique that can create millions of copies of DNA from a tiny sample. This process, invented in 1983 by Dr. Kary Mullis, is scientifically referred to as DNA amplification.

There are plenty of uses for PCR other than checking if you contracted the COVID-19 virus. Some of the most practical ones include amplifying the DNA’s target sequences as a tool for solving crimes, settling paternity lawsuits, and determining genetic disorders.

Currently, this process is widely popular for the COVID-19 PCR test. It works by checking the existence of the virus inside the body by determining the presence of the genetic material from the COVID-19 virus.

Due to the accuracy of PCR tests, it was considered the “gold standard” for testing. The PCR fit to fly test is also recognised all over the world.

What Can PCR Test Do Aside From COVID-19 Testing?

Previous studies claimed that PCR tests could be a reliable process to check the presence of genetically-modified DNA sequences.

It is also helpful for next-generation sequencing (NGS), one of the current technologies used to diagnose and treat groups of people diagnosed with cancers and rare illnesses. NGS needs samples extracted using PCR before the sequencing because it requires high DNA concentrations to get the most accurate results.

Since genomic sequencing is fast becoming a key player in the healthcare systems in the UK and other parts of the world, PCR tests will remain one of the most reliable procedures to help understand DNA.

Aside from this purpose, PCR is also helpful in tissue typing to determine if transplant donors and recipients match to reduce the possibility of organ rejection. It can also help doctors and expectant mothers determine monogenic or aneuploidies conditions in an unborn baby.