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DNA Fingerprinting - Polymerase Chain Reaction

            Analysing DNA from samples of body fluids or body tissue in order to identify individuals is referred to as DNA fingerprinting. This technique is used to compare the nucleotide sequences of fragments of DNA from different sources. DNA fingerprinting is often used to provide evidence in criminal investigations. These "fingerprints" are not visible to a naked eye or even to a scanning electron microscope and cannot be altered once left at a crime scene. Therefore it has been argued that DNA fingerprinting is the greatest forensic tool in the history of forensic science. DNA fingerprinting has been applied in different criminal law cases, paternity tests and to detect certain genetic diseases. The two methods used to analyse DNA are Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).
             The amount of a sample needed to test the DNA is a distinguishing factor between RFLP and PCR. RFLP is effective when there is a sufficiently large sample of DNA while PCR works even with a very small amount of DNA (as little as 1ng)! PCR is therefore easier for investigators to collect DNA for because an individual or a criminal will not notice if they lost a drop of blood or hair. It is for this reason that DNA fingerprinting is considered to be one of the greatest tools in forensic sciences. PCR has proved to be very useful in criminal investigations since it was first discovered.
             Invented in 1983 by Kary B. Mullis, the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) allowed scientists to make millions of copies of a specific sample of DNA. This technique is used for many different purposes including the detection of the AIDS virus in human cells, the diagnosis of genetic defects and enabling criminologists to link a specific person to samples of hair or blood through DNA comparison. PCR is a very straightforward procedure to perform consisting of three main steps: denaturation, annealing and elongation.


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2. DNA Fingerprinting

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