bioinformatics - In Sanger sequencing, why do we resort to cloning? Why doesn't PCR suffice?

I understand that in Sanger sequencing we can clone our fragments with the help of e.g. bacteria to make multiple copies of our fragments for further analysis.

I also understand cloning can be a bottleneck in Sanger sequencing - and partly prompted the development of NGS methods.

But doesn't PCR do just that, make multiple copies?

What am I missing?

Answer

You can use PCR products in Sanger sequencing; it is very common. Using PCR products instead of cloned genes does raise a set of problems that are less of a concern than with cloned sequences, such as the presence of incomplete or incorrect PCR products, but there are standard and simple solutions for most of these concerns.