Dna Fingerprinting & Databases By Elizabeth, Alyssa & Audrey

DNA Fingerprinting & Databases by elizabeth, Alyssa & Audrey The DNA Fingerprinting Procedure: Crime Scene to Results

What makes it all happen? The technology involved – – – – –

use probes and electric light - use different regions of DNA to make a data profile Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism-for looking at the different lengths of DNA fragments Polymerase chain reaction - uses about a quarter size of DNA Short Tandem Repeat: used to look at specific regions in the nuclear DNA A large piece of DNA

Any Problems? Technology problems

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The DNA must be clean, new & there must be enough to test. There is a small possibility that people have the same pattern of VNRT’s (variable number of tandem repeats) These are chains of repeated DNA and can be 9 - 80 pairs long. Specific answer - 1 in 20 billion would have the same pattern - if not specific, 1 in 20 have the same pattern. We cannot rely on DNA fingerprinting alone to pinpoint a criminal. Unless you are an identical twin - your DNA is completely your own. Unique to you.

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Time - Contamination Small number of combinations - Large enough piece of DNA to test

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New testing procedures Training Classroom Study of DNA

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DNA databases is a database that has hundreds of thousands of people’s DNA profiles. A criminal database is definitely related to people accused of crimes. If a person is accused of a crime, they have a record with the police now and their information goes onto a criminal database for easy look-ups in the future. Privacy of those who are on databases have become an issue. Do you think we should have them?

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Limitations

Improvements - Sources from which DNA can be extracted. (Blood, hair, saliva, etc.) - Databases

DNA databases

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