qPCR
qPCR, or Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction, is a powerful technique used to answer a specific "yes/no" question: is a particular target species present in a sample?
Its high specificity makes it the perfect tool for focusing on a single species. For example, it is the standard method for detecting great crested newts from water samples.
The process works by:
Amplifying DNA: It finds the target's unique DNA and makes millions of copies.
Quantifying DNA: It simultaneously measures the amount of that DNA as it's being copied (which is why it's also called real-time PCR).
Its high specificity makes it the perfect tool for focusing on a single species. For example, it is the standard method for detecting great crested newts from water samples.
The process works by:
Amplifying DNA: It finds the target's unique DNA and makes millions of copies.
Quantifying DNA: It simultaneously measures the amount of that DNA as it's being copied (which is why it's also called real-time PCR).