Medical Forensics - Unit 6

NOTE: make sure you know things from the CSI: wild life and the DNA Profiling Using STR's

What types of evidence can contain DNA?

biological material like blood, saliva, semen, hair, and skin cells

Does DNA have a negative or positive charge? How does this help the DNA move in a gel?

Negative charge, which causes it to move through the gel towards the positive electrode during electrophoresis

How do DNA fragments settle on a gel?

by separating according to size through a process called gel electrophoresis

In gel electrophoresis, how do the shorter fragments move compared to the larger fragments?

Shorter fragments move faster and farther compared to larger fragments that move slower and shorter.

What is the name of the process used to make millions of copies of DNA?

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

What do restriction enzymes do?

cut DNA at specific, short sequences called restriction sites

DNA Profiling Lab:

Which is better to use for a DNA profile - a gene or a non-coding segment? why?

A non-coding segment is better for a DNA profile because it is highly variable among individuals

DNA Profiling Lab:

What is an STR?

Short Tandem Repeat

DNA Profiling Lab:

Where should primers be placed? What happens if they are placed in the wrong position?

Primers must be placed at the beginning and end of the specific DNA sequence that is to be copied, if they are placed wrong the PCR will fail and will produce an altered or incomplete sequence.