DNA Fingerprinting

DNA Fingerprinting
DNA fingerprinting (also called DNA profiling or forensic genetics) is a technique employed by forensic
scientists to assist in the identification of individuals or samples by their respective DNA profiles.
Although more than 99.1% of the genome is the same throughout the human population, the remaining
0.9% of human DNA shows variations between individuals. These variable DNA sequences, termed
polymorphic markers, can be used to both differentiate and correlate individuals. Alec Jeffreys, a
geneticist at the University of Leicester in Britain, invented the first usable version of DNA fingerprinting
in 1984.
DNA Fingerprinting production
 IN THE PAST
The first step of DNA fingerprinting was to extract DNA from a sample of human material, usually blood.
 Molecular ‘scissors’, called restriction enzymes?, were used to cut the DNA. This resulted in
thousands of pieces of DNA with a variety of different lengths.
 These pieces of DNA were then separated according to size by a process called gel
electrophoresis?:
 The DNA was loaded into wells at one end of a porous gel, which acted a bit like a sieve.
 An electric current was applied which pulled the negatively-charged DNA through the gel.
 The shorter pieces of DNA moved through the gel easiest and therefore fastest. It is more
difficult for the longer pieces of DNA to move through the gel so they travelled slower.
As a result, by the time the electric current was switched off, the DNA pieces had been separated in
order of size. The smallest DNA molecules were furthest away from where the original sample was
loaded on to the gel.
Once the DNA had been sorted, the pieces of DNA were transferred or ‘blotted’ out of the fragile gel on
to a robust piece of nylon membrane and then ‘unzipped’ to produce single strands of DNA.
Next the nylon membrane was incubated with radioactive probes.
Probes are small fragments of minisatellite DNA tagged with radioactive phosphorous.
The probes only attach to the pieces of DNA that they are complementary? to – in this case they attach
to the minisatellites in the genome.
The minisatellites that the probes have attached to were then visualised by exposing the nylon
membrane to X-ray film.
When exposed to radioactivity a pattern of more than 30 dark bands appeared on the film where the
labelled DNA was. This pattern was the DNA fingerprint.
To compare two or more different DNA fingerprints the different DNA samples were run side-by-side on
the same electrophoresis gel.
PRESENT DAY PRODUCTION
 DNA is extracted from a biological sample. STR analysis is incredibly sensitive so it only needs a
tiny amount of someone’s DNA to produce an accurate result. As a result the DNA can be
extracted from a wider range of biological samples, including blood, saliva and hair.
 Unlike the original DNA fingerprinting method, DNA profiling does not use restriction enzymes
to cut the DNA. Instead it uses the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to produce many copies of
specific STR sequences.
 PCR is an automated procedure that generates lots of copies of a specific sequence of DNA. It
only requires small amounts of DNA to start with and can even make copies from a DNA sample
that is partially degraded.
 In PCR small bits of DNA called primers? bind to complementary sequences of the DNA of
interest and mark the starting point for the copying of the DNA of interest.
 In STR analysis the primers used in the PCR are designed to attach to either end of the STR
sequence of interest.
 The primers for each STR is labelled with a specific coloured fluorescent tag. This makes it easier
to identify and record the STR sequences after PCR.
 Once enough copies of the sequence have been produced by PCR, electrophoresis is used to
separate the fragments according to size.
 Each fragment passes by a laser which causes the fragments with fluorescent tags to glow with a
specific colour. The output is displayed as a series of coloured peaks (as shown in the image
below) highlighting the colour and length of each STR sequence.
DNA fingerprinting is used for solving crimes and establishing blood relations.

DNA Fingerprinting

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

DNA Fingerprinting

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

DNA Fingerprinting

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

DNA Fingerprinting

DNA Fingerprinting production

Next the nylon membrane was incubated with radioactive probes.

PRESENT DAY PRODUCTION

You might also like