DNA Forensics
DNA Fingerprinting - What is It? Use of molecular genetic methods that determine the exact genotype of a DNA sample in a such a way that the results distinguish one biological organism from another This unique genotype = DNA Profile
It’s not that complicated A DNA fingerprint is a method of looking at the similarities and differences that exist in organisms’ DNA sequences Distinguish one biological organism from another Individually discriminating southern blot minisatellite hybridization profile
Collect Tissue Sample How to do DNA Fingerprinting The Big Picture >1000 cells RFLP / Southern blot PCR Analysis >20 cells
DNA Fingerprinting RFLP Determination of an individual’s unique collection of DNA restriction fragments
Collect Tissue Sample How to do DNA Fingerprinting The Big Picture >1000 cells RFLP / Southern blot >20 cells
Non Coding vs Coding DNA The majority of our genome is made up non coding DNA How much? Of this a large portion is of short sequences that are repeated, sometimes hundreds of times. There are numerous forms of this "repetitive DNA"
Short Tandem Repeats (STR’s) STR – region of DNA containing tandem copies of di-, tri- or tetranucleotide repeat units. Examples: Dinucleotide repeats: GTGTGTGTGTGT…… Trinucleotide repeats:ACGACGACGACG…… Tetranucleotide repeats:TATCTATCTATC……
More on STRs Number of repeats varies greatly between individuals STRs make up 10-15% of the mammalian genome STRs are also called “microsatellites”
Possible Patterns for a Single “Gene” With Three Alleles In a standard DNA fingerprint, about a dozen sites are analyzed, with each site having many possible alleles.
PCR = Polymerase Chain Reaction
What is It? Basically DNA replication in a tube Needs the same basic components as DNA replication: DNA nucleotides, the building blocks for the new DNA Template DNA, the DNA sequence that you want to amplify Primers, single-stranded DNAs between 20 and 50 nucleotides long that are complementary to a short region on either side of the template DNA Taq polymerase, a heat stable enzyme that drives, or catalyzes, the synthesis of new DNA Targets a particular sequence and amplifies it many many, many, many times
PCR
CODIS Loci Combined DNA Index System 13 Loci across human genome
Multilocus analysis - 7 loci
DNA Allele Interpretation fallible-dna-evidence-can-mean-prison-or- freedom.html#.U0f7lsYh5W4 fallible-dna-evidence-can-mean-prison-or- freedom.html#.U0f7lsYh5W4
Grim Sleeper
MZDZ Monozygotic (Identical) and Dizygotic (Fraternal) twins STR Analysis
Mitochondrial DNA
Y Chromosomal Inheritance
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