{
  "patent_number": "US 4965188",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How to Make Many Copies of a DNA Piece with Heat",
  "original_title": "Process for amplifying, detecting, and/or cloning nucleic acid sequences using a thermostable enzyme",
  "summary": "This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method, a technique to make millions of copies of a specific DNA segment using a heat-resistant enzyme and repeated temperature changes.",
  "what_it_does": "The patent describes the core steps of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). It involves taking a DNA sample and adding building blocks called nucleoside triphosphates, short starting pieces called oligonucleotide primers, and a special heat-resistant enzyme (a \"thermostable enzyme\"). First, the DNA strands are separated by heating the mixture (claim 1(d)). Then, the mixture is cooled so the primers can attach to their specific spots on the single DNA strands (claim 1(e)). Next, the enzyme builds new DNA strands starting from these primers (claim 1(f)). This cycle of heating, cooling, and building is repeated many times, creating a huge number of copies of the target DNA sequence. For example, a tiny blood sample from a crime scene can be amplified to get enough DNA for forensic analysis.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Amplification methods that do not use a thermostable enzyme, as claim 1(b) specifically requires a \"thermostable enzyme.\"",
    "Processes that do not involve repeated cycles of heating to separate DNA strands and cooling for primer binding and extension, as described in claim 1(d), (e), and (f).",
    "Methods that do not use two oligonucleotide primers for each specific sequence being amplified, as claim 1(a) specifies \"two oligonucleotide primers.\"",
    "Amplification of RNA directly without first converting it to DNA, as claim 1 primarily focuses on amplifying \"DNA or a mixture of nucleic acids.\""
  ],
  "filed": "1987-06-17",
  "granted": "1990-10-23",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "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": "Kary B. Mullis",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/kary-b-mullis"
    },
    {
      "name": "David H. Gelfand",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/david-h-gelfand"
    },
    {
      "name": "Henry A. Erlich",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/henry-a-erlich"
    },
    {
      "name": "Glenn Horn",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/glenn-horn"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 2132,
  "tags": [
    "biotech",
    "pharmaceuticals",
    "diagnostics",
    "gene_editing",
    "research_tools"
  ],
  "abstract": "A process for amplifying any target nucleic acid sequence contained in a nucleic acid or mixture thereof comprises treating separate complementary strands of the nucleic acid with a molar excess of two oligonucleotide primers and extending the primers with a thermostable enzyme to form complementary primer extension products which act as templates for synthesizing the desired nucleic acid sequence. The amplified sequence can be readily detected. The steps of the reaction can be repeated as often as desired and involve temperature cycling to effect hybridization, promotion of activity of the enzyme, and denaturation of the hybrids formed.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4965188/taq-polymerase-for-pcr",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4965188/taq-polymerase-for-pcr/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US4965188",
  "relatedPatents": []
}