{
  "patent_number": "US 4683195",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How to Make Billions of Copies of a DNA Segment",
  "original_title": "Process for amplifying, detecting, and/or-cloning nucleic acid sequences",
  "summary": "This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), a method to rapidly create many copies of a specific piece of DNA or RNA, enabling its detection and analysis.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent details a process for amplifying and detecting specific nucleic acid sequences. First, a sample containing DNA or RNA is treated with two short DNA pieces called oligonucleotide primers, one for each strand of the target sequence (Claim 1a). These primers attach to the target, and an enzyme then extends them, building new complementary strands. Next, the sample is heated to separate the newly made strands from their original templates (denaturing, Claim 1b). The process of adding primers and extending them is then repeated, using the newly separated strands as templates (Claim 1c). Repeating these steps many times creates a massive number of copies of the target sequence (Claim 2). Finally, a labeled probe is added to detect if the amplified sequence is present (Claim 1d, 1e). For example, this process can detect a specific genetic mutation like the one causing sickle cell anemia (Claim 11, 12).",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover amplification methods that do not use two oligonucleotide primers for each strand of the target sequence.",
    "Does not cover detection methods that do not involve adding a labeled oligonucleotide probe after amplification.",
    "Does not cover processes where the primer extension products are not separated from their templates before further amplification steps.",
    "Does not cover amplification using enzymes that are inactivated by the high temperatures required for strand separation, unless a heat-stable enzyme is explicitly used (Claim 15).",
    "Does not cover methods that amplify nucleic acids without repeating the primer extension and denaturation steps at least once."
  ],
  "filed": "1986-02-07",
  "granted": "1987-07-28",
  "expires": "2006-02-07",
  "status": "expired",
  "holder": "Cetus Corp",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/cetus-corp",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Randall K. Saiki",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/randall-k-saiki"
    },
    {
      "name": "Stephen J. Scharf",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/stephen-j-scharf"
    },
    {
      "name": "Kary B. Mullis",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/kary-b-mullis"
    },
    {
      "name": "Norman Arnheim",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/norman-arnheim"
    },
    {
      "name": "Henry A. Erlich",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/henry-a-erlich"
    },
    {
      "name": "Glenn T. Horn",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/glenn-t-horn"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 6231,
  "tags": [
    "biotech",
    "pharmaceutical",
    "diagnostics",
    "medical_devices",
    "research_tools"
  ],
  "abstract": "The present invention is directed to a process for amplifying and detecting any target nucleic acid sequence contained in a nucleic acid or mixture thereof. The process comprises treating separate complementary strands of the nucleic acid with a molar excess of two oligonucleotide primers, extending the primers to form complementary primer extension products which act as templates for synthesizing the desired nucleic acid sequence, and detecting the sequence so amplified. The steps of the reaction may be carried out stepwise or simultaneously and can be repeated as often as desired. In addition, a specific nucleic acid sequence may be cloned into a vector by using primers to amplify the sequence, which contain restriction sites on their non-complementary ends, and a nucleic acid fragment may be prepared from an existing shorter fragment using the amplification process.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4683195/pcr-polymerase-chain-reaction",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4683195/pcr-polymerase-chain-reaction/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US4683195",
  "relatedPatents": [
    {
      "patentNumber": "4683202",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "How to Make Many Copies of a Specific DNA Segment",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4683202/pcr-polymerase-chain-reaction-mullis"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "4965188",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "How to Make Many Copies of a DNA Piece with Heat",
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    {
      "patentNumber": "5210015",
      "countryCode": "US",
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      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5210015/hcv-pcr-detection"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "4683194",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "Detecting Genetic Differences Using DNA Probes and Enzymes",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4683194/pcr-process"
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  ]
}