the main difference between pcr and sanger sequencing is that pcr has 2 primers facing towards each other but sequencing has only one primer reading the sequence in one direction only. This means that in early cycles of pcr the amount of dna generated increases exponentially ( doubles every cycle) so after 10 cycles we have 1000 time the amount of template dna that we started with. This allows amplification of tiny amounts of dna. In sequencing we start with a lot of template because with one primer only the amount of amplified original tempate is copied each cycle so after 10 cycles we have 10 times as much of the strand of dna that is being amplified. Also in sequencing the reaction is deliberately terminated early in the propogation step by the addition of dideoxynucleotides which stop elongation at different lengths so giving a snapshot of all shorter sequences making up the full sequence of the product. The enzymes used in both techniques are the same and the cycling parameters are similar.

You cannot ask which is more effective as they do entirely different things...pcr give a dna product which can be further analyse and sequencing gives the exact sequence of that product

the main difference between pcr and sanger sequencing is that pcr has 2 primers facing towards each other but sequencing has only one primer reading the sequence in one direction only. This means that in early cycles of pcr the amount of dna generated increases exponentially ( doubles every cycle) so after 10 cycles we have 1000 time the amount of template dna that we started with. This allows amplification of tiny amounts of dna. In sequencing we start with a lot of template because with one primer only the amount of amplified original tempate is copied each cycle so after 10 cycles we have 10 times as much of the strand of dna that is being amplified. Also in sequencing the reaction is deliberately terminated early in the propogation step by the addition of dideoxynucleotides which stop elongation at different lengths so giving a snapshot of all shorter sequences making up the full sequence of the product. The enzymes used in both techniques are the same and the cycling parameters are similar.

You cannot ask which is more effective as they do entirely different things...pcr give a dna product which can be further analyse and sequencing gives the exact sequence of that product

The two techniques are used for different purposes as rightly clarified by Paul Rutland , thus, there is no basis for comparison between their effectiveness. However, after PCR, you sometimes follow it up with sequencing to confirm the exact DNA sequence you have amplified.

Hi there,

Basically the reaction is the same consisting in primer extension by polymerisation of dNTPs according the complementarity of ssDNA template(reaction mix contains template, primer, DNA polymerase, dNTPs, ATP and Mg++). As mentioned by Paul, PCR is made for exponential amplification (because of the repetition of initiation) while Sanger is purely linear (because initiated only once) and intends to stop partially extension reaction at each step by incorporation of one ddNTP (which inhibits any further extension).

Khurshed Akabirov if you are trying to generate more template from a small amount then there are other methods like whole genome amplification that are very good