Chapter 7: DNA profiling vocab

allele

an alternative form of a gene

chromosome

nuclear cell structure that contains DNA in humans

Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)

the FBI’s computerized criminal DNA databases as well as the software used to run these databases; includes the National DNA Index System (NDIS)

DNA fingerprint (profile)

pattern of DNA fragments obtained by analyzing a person’s unique sequences of noncoding DNA

electrophoresis

a method of separating molecules, such as DNA, according to size

Exon

portion of gene that is expressed

gene

segment of DNA in a chromosome

genome

all the DNA found in human cells

intron

portion of a gene that is not expressed

karyotype

picture of the paired homologous chromosomes and sex chromosomes in a cell

polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

a method of amplifying (duplicating) minute amounts of DNA evidence for use in investigations

polymorphism

region of repeating DNA within an intron that is highly variable from person to person

Primer

sequence of DNA added to trigger replication of a specific section of DNA

restriction enzyme

“ molecular scissors”; a molecule that cuts a DNA molecule at a specific base sequence

restriction fragment

noncoding DNA fragment that restriction enzymes create, as in preparation for gel electrophoresis

short tandem repeat (STR)

sequence of repeating bases in noncoding regions of DNA that are used in DNA profiling