Which technique is commonly used to amplify DNA sequences?

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is the technique specifically designed to amplify DNA sequences. This method utilizes specific primers that bind to the target DNA sequence, along with a heat-stable DNA polymerase enzyme, to create multiple copies of that DNA. PCR involves repeating cycles of denaturation (melting the DNA), annealing (binding of primers), and extension (synthesizing new DNA strands), which exponentially increases the number of copies of the desired DNA fragment. This amplification is crucial for various applications in molecular biology, including cloning, gene analysis, and forensic investigations. The ability of PCR to quickly and effectively produce millions of copies from a small initial sample is what sets it apart as a foundational technique in genetics.