DNAprimer
DNA primer is a short single-stranded oligonucleotide that serves as a starting point for DNA synthesis by DNA polymerases. In laboratory methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Sanger sequencing, primers are synthetically produced DNA sequences typically 18 to 30 nucleotides long. They bind to complementary regions on the template DNA, defining the boundaries of the segment to be copied and providing a free 3' hydroxyl group for chain elongation.
Primer design is central to assay success. Ideal primers have balanced GC content (roughly 40–60%), moderate
Applications include amplifying DNA for cloning, genotyping, and library preparation, sequencing primers for read initiation, and
Limitations include potential off-target binding, primer-dimer artifacts, and biases that can affect amplification efficiency. Primer design