What is the first step in the PCR process?

The first step in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) process is denaturation. During this phase, the reaction mixture is heated, typically to around 94-98 degrees Celsius. This high temperature causes the double-stranded DNA to separate into two single strands by breaking the hydrogen bonds between the complementary base pairs.

Denaturation is essential because it provides the starting point for the subsequent steps of PCR, allowing the primers to bind to their respective target sequences on each single strand of DNA in the annealing step. Without this initial separation of strands, the primers would not have access to the DNA templates needed for the amplification process. Thus, denaturation is a critical prerequisite that sets the stage for the synthesis of new DNA strands in the later stages of PCR.