Question

What is a DNA probe?

Answer 1

Hint: DNA is Deoxyribonucleic acid which is composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix structure. This structure carries genetic information or instructions for the functioning, growth, development, and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses.

Complete step by step answer:
DNA is the nucleic acid molecules which are composed of two polynucleic chains that form a double helix structure. DNA is responsible for the storage of all genetic information of an individual. These polynucleotides are composed of monomeric units called nucleotides. Every nucleotide is composed of one of four nitrogen-containing nucleobases, a phosphate group, and sugar called deoxyribose. DNA can be used to detect complementary sequences and is used to find the hierarchy of an individual and also used to gather the biological information of an individual.
A DNA probe is a detection of an individual as oligonucleotides are used to detect the complementary sequences. A DNA probe also helps us to highlight the sequence that has been separated by gel electrophoresis. The target sequence binds with the probe which can be seen under UV light. The DNA probe is capable of hybridizing each other through base pairing which ultimately leads to double-stranded hybrid formation. The formed hybrid strand may be melted into a single strand by elevating the temperature.

Note: The strength of DNA probe hybridization to sample molecules is seen by the stability of the hybrid duplex formed in the structure of the DNA. The other part of the sample molecule which is longer than the DNA probe remains on either side of the hybrid duplex.