Forensic DNA Study Guide

Double stranded

DNA structure consisting of two strands

Sir Alec Jeffreys

Inventor of DNA profiling

Colin Pitchfork

Convicted murderer in Narborough, England in the 1980s

Karyotype

Chart of chromosomes

Capillary electrophoresis

Modern DNA profiling method using fluorescent dyes to label STRs

Introns

DNA that does not code for proteins; used in DNA profiling (introns)

Sources of DNA at crime scene

Proper collection, packaging, preservation

Gel Electrophoresis (Southern Blot Method) Step #1

Collect

Gel Electrophoresis (Southern Blot Method) Step #2

Extract

Gel Electrophoresis (Southern Blot Method) Step #3

Cut DNA with restriction enzymes

Gel Electrophoresis (Southern Blot Method) Step #4

DNA loaded into agarose gel

Gel Electrophoresis (Southern Blot Method) Step #5

Transfer DNA to nylon membrane

Gel Electrophoresis (Southern Blot Method) Step #6

Add probes

Gel Electrophoresis (Southern Blot Method) Step #7

X Ray

DNA bases

Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine, Thymine, Uracil

Monomers

Nucleotides that make up DNA

Gene

Sequence of nucleotides that codes for a protein

Human genome

Total amount of DNA in a cell

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid

DNA locations

Mitochondria and Nucleus

Purposes of DNA Profiling

Paternity testing, tissue matching/identification

STR

Short tandem repeat

Kary Mullis

Inventor of PCR

Polymerase chain reaction

PCR; a method to amplify DNA

Innocence Project

Organization that exonerates wrongfully convicted prisoners based on DNA testing

Chain of custody

Documented process of handling and transferring evidence

Southern blot method

collect, extract, PCR, cut with restriction enzymes, electrophoresis, nylon membrane, add probes, X-ray

Homozygous

Having two identical alleles

Heterozygous

Having different alleles

Exons

DNA that codes for proteins

Chargaff, Wilkins & Franklin, Watson & Crick

Scientists involved in the discovery of DNA structure