PCR by thermal convection

The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) allows for highly sensitive and specific amplification of DNA. It is the backbone of many genetic experiments and tests. Recently, three labs independently uncovered a novel and simple way to perform a PCR reaction. Instead of repetitive heating and cooling, a temperature gradient across the reaction vessel drives thermal convection. By convection, the reaction liquid circulates between hot and cold regions of the chamber. The convection triggers DNA amplification as the DNA melts into two single strands in the hot region and replicates into twice the amount in the cold region. The amplification progresses exponentially as the convection moves on. We review the characteristics of the different approaches and show the benefits and prospects of the method.