AAB MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS EXAM
SCRIPT 2026 COMPLETE QUESTION AND
ANSWER SET
◉ What enzymes are used in Ligase Chain Reactions?
Answer: DNA polymerase and DNA ligase
◉ What is the function of DNA polymerase in Ligase Chain Reaction?
Answer: Is used to initiate DNA polymerase.
◉ What is the key advantage of using Ligase Chain Reaction instead
of Polymerase Chain Reaction?
Answer: Better specificity
◉ How does Ligase Chain Reaction differ from Polymerase Chain
Reaction?
Answer: This method uses a thermostable ligase to join to probes
which are then amplified by standard PCR cycling.
◉ Why was Ligase Chain Reaction originally developed?
Answer: To detect point mutation.
, ◉ What do positive controls ensure during PCR testing?
Answer: That the enzyme is active, the buffer is optimal, the primers
are priming the correct sequence, and that the thermal cycler is
working properly.
◉ What is a reagent blank control in PCR?
Answer: A negative control that lacks DNA to ensure that the
reaction mix is not contaminated with DNA template or amplified
products from a previous run.
◉ What is a negative template control in PCR?
Answer: A negative control that contains DNA that lacks this target
DNA sequence. This ensures that the primers are not annealing to
unintended DNA sequences.
◉ What is the purpose of the amplification control in PCR?
Answer: To distinguish between a true negative for the sample and
an amplification failure (false negative).
◉ What is the major source of contamination in PCR testing?
Answer: Amplicons from previous runs.
◉ What is a method for removing nucleotides and primers from PCR
products prior to sequencing?
SCRIPT 2026 COMPLETE QUESTION AND
ANSWER SET
◉ What enzymes are used in Ligase Chain Reactions?
Answer: DNA polymerase and DNA ligase
◉ What is the function of DNA polymerase in Ligase Chain Reaction?
Answer: Is used to initiate DNA polymerase.
◉ What is the key advantage of using Ligase Chain Reaction instead
of Polymerase Chain Reaction?
Answer: Better specificity
◉ How does Ligase Chain Reaction differ from Polymerase Chain
Reaction?
Answer: This method uses a thermostable ligase to join to probes
which are then amplified by standard PCR cycling.
◉ Why was Ligase Chain Reaction originally developed?
Answer: To detect point mutation.
, ◉ What do positive controls ensure during PCR testing?
Answer: That the enzyme is active, the buffer is optimal, the primers
are priming the correct sequence, and that the thermal cycler is
working properly.
◉ What is a reagent blank control in PCR?
Answer: A negative control that lacks DNA to ensure that the
reaction mix is not contaminated with DNA template or amplified
products from a previous run.
◉ What is a negative template control in PCR?
Answer: A negative control that contains DNA that lacks this target
DNA sequence. This ensures that the primers are not annealing to
unintended DNA sequences.
◉ What is the purpose of the amplification control in PCR?
Answer: To distinguish between a true negative for the sample and
an amplification failure (false negative).
◉ What is the major source of contamination in PCR testing?
Answer: Amplicons from previous runs.
◉ What is a method for removing nucleotides and primers from PCR
products prior to sequencing?
