DNA Fingerprinting & Gel Electrophoresis

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to DNA fingerprinting and gel electrophoresis.

DNA Fingerprinting

A technique used to identify individuals based on their unique DNA profiles, particularly useful in forensics and paternity cases.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

A method used to amplify small quantities of DNA, effectively creating billions of copies of a specific DNA segment from a sample.

Non-coding DNA

The DNA sequences that do not code for proteins, comprising 95-99% of human DNA and forming the basis for DNA fingerprinting.

Tandem Repeats

Sequences of DNA bases that repeat multiple times in non-coding regions, used in DNA fingerprinting because of human variability in these regions.

Restriction Enzymes

Molecular scissors that cut DNA at specific sequences, used in DNA fingerprinting to isolate tandem repeat segments.

Gel Electrophoresis

A laboratory technique used to separate DNA fragments by size as they migrate through an agarose gel in response to an electrical current.

Single Locus Tandem Repeat (SLTR)

A DNA fingerprinting method that analyzes only one set of tandem repeats, where variations in repeat number are key to distinguishing individuals.

Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLPs)

Variations in the length of DNA fragments created by restriction enzyme cuts, which contribute to differences in DNA fingerprints across a population.

Buffer Solution

A solution that maintains the pH and conducts electrical current during gel electrophoresis, facilitating the movement of DNA fragments.

Homologous Chromosomes

Chromosome pairs that carry the same genes but may have different numbers of tandem repeats.