gene amplification: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

No. Cloning involves creating identical copies of an entire organism, cell, or DNA fragment in a vector. Gene amplification specifically increases the copy number of a gene within a genome or via a technique like PCR.

Not always. It is a natural evolutionary process and a vital laboratory technique. However, when it occurs uncontrolled in somatic cells (e.g., oncogene amplification), it can drive cancer development.

Gene amplification increases the physical number of DNA copies of a gene. Gene expression is the process of using the information in a gene (whether there is one copy or many) to make a functional product like a protein. More gene copies can lead to higher expression, but they are distinct concepts.

Through laboratory methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for lab-based amplification, or techniques like fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) and comparative genomic hybridisation (CGH) to detect amplification of genes in chromosomes from cell or tissue samples.

A process in molecular biology where the number of copies of a specific gene sequence is increased within a cell or organism.

Gene amplification is usually technical/scientific in register.

Gene amplification: in British English it is pronounced /dʒiːn ˌæmplɪfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/, and in American English it is pronounced /dʒin ˌæmpləfəˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.