In molecular biology, an amplicon is a piece of DNA or RNA that is the source and/or product of amplification or replication events. It can be formed artificially, using various methods including polymerase chain reactions (PCR) or ligase chain reactions (LCR), or naturally through gene duplication. In this context, amplification refers to the production of one or more copies of a genetic fragment or target sequence, specifically the amplicon. As it refers to the product of an amplification reaction, amplicon is used interchangeably with common laboratory terms, such as "PCR product."
Artificial amplification is used in research, forensics, and medicine for purposes that include detection and quantification of infectious agents, identification of human remains, and extracting genotypes from human hair.
Natural gene duplication plays a major role in evolution. It is also implicated in several forms of human cancer including primary mediastinal B cell lymphoma and Hodgkins lymphoma. In this context the term amplicon' can refer both to a section of chromosomal DNA that has been excised, amplified, and reinserted elsewhere in the genome, and to a fragment of extrachromosomal DNA known as a double minute, each of which can be composed of one or more genes. Amplification of the genes encoded by these amplicons generally increases transcription of those genes and ultimately the volume of associated proteins.