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DNA Fingerprinting

            DNA Fingerprinting is also referred to as DNA profiling and DNA typing. It was first developed as an identification technique in England in 1985. The original use was to expose the presence of any genetic diseases. About three years later it became used to identify criminals through the analysis of genetic material and to settle paternity disputes. It is still used for those reasons today. The DNA fingerprinting process is called gel electrophoresis. It is a process that can sort pieces of DNA according to its size. The process is done by taking samples of DNA from the crime scene and comparing it with samples from the accused. Samples are taken from biological materials like blood, semen, hair, and saliva. In the testing process the DNA samples are first entered into the wells in a gel like substance called Agarose. The gel is placed between two electrodes, one negatively charged and the other positively charged. The wells in the Agarose are inserted on the negative side beca!.
             use DNA has a negative charge. Molecules of DNA then travel in lanes toward the positive side. Small molecules will travel farther than the bigger ones, because they have an easier time moving through the gel. So the molecules will then be assorted according to their size. Next, the gel is X-rayed to see the parallel bands (showed by black bars on the film) in each lane. The separated molecules of DNA form a pattern of parallel bands that show the structure of the DNA. The pattern should never change for one person. In a court of law, the results of a DNA fingerprinting examination can be used to convict or acquit an accused person. If the accused's DNA matches the one at the crime scene then that person could be convicted. Critics believe that a DNA fingerprint may not yet be reliable enough to use in the court system. They question how accurate a DNA fingerprint is and the cost of it. They believe that it is not very accurate because only a segment of DNA is used and not the complete strand.


Essays Related to DNA Fingerprinting

1. The Power Of DNA And DNA Fingerprinting

... Jeffreys's discovery, Kirk Bloodsworth would probably have had to spend the rest of his life in prison for a crime he did not commit (Lane 45). DNA fingerprinting has many advantages and disadvantages. The many homicide cases prove DNA fingerprinting is the best way to catch criminals, but the main controversy is whether or not the legal system will allow this evidence to be used ... of the work (Thompson 63). Even though forensic experts are delighted to have this wonderful new process, civil liberators are not so thrilled (Meltzer 35). These liberators feel that although DNA fingerpri...

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  • Grade Level: High School

2. Bioethical Issue: Mandatory DNA Fingerprinting

... be great to have. Without it, this man would have spent most of his life behind bars for a crime he did not commit, and that is just unacceptable. DNA fingerprinting could help save families of victims a lot of anguish and torment of not knowing and put more criminals behind. If you ask me, that's something great this country needs! However, ... their rights protected and criminals need to not be discriminated against, but at what costs? I think in this case that the good outweighs the bad and I'm all for the mandatory DNA fingerprinting. If someone commits a crime I feel that they hav...

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  • Grade Level: High School

3. DNA Fingerprinting

... of genetic material and to settle paternity disputes. It is still used for those reasons today. The DNA fingerprinting process is called gel electrophoresis. It is a process that can sort pieces of DNA according to its size. The process is done by taking samples of DNA from the crime scene and comparing it with samples from the accused. Samples are taken from biological materials ... it fell off the handle and he also used the necks of three bottles. She had such severe head injures that part of her brain had to be removed. Through DNA fingerprinting the blood samples at the crime scene...

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  • Grade Level: High School

4. DNA Fingerprinting

... possibility of two people sharing the same DNA fingerprint is "1 in 1,000,000,000,000,000- a million billions" (Froelich and Leyden 1). With such great odds, DNA can be tested to find the genetic fingerprint of a person. DNA testing, or fingerprinting, is a difficult process that looks for differences among samples of the nucleic acid. DNA fingerprinting derived from the use of polymorphism in ... medicine, which are silent variations between the genomes of different people. DNA tests also work with sites in DNA that have different lengths because of their variable ... spent two and a h...

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  • Grade Level: High School

5. DNA Fingerprinting - Polymerase Chain Reaction

... 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 appli...

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6. DNA Mysteries And Miracles

... than thirteen STR matches per suspect to make a conviction which, without a doubt, certifies that a suspect is guilty (DNA Detectives). The CODIS database currently holds approximately 977,895 genetic prints of convicted felons and 35,851 DNA samples left behind at unsolved crime scenes (DNA Detectives). DNA fingerprinting hasn't only helped solve otherwise unsolvable cases, but it has also helped to exonerate innocent persons that have ... been incarcerated. In 2001, Marvin Lamont Anderson was released from the Virginia State Penitentiary (DNA Watson). At age thirty-four, Anderson had ...

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7. DNA Big Topics

... skin cells) Billions of copies can be made of a particular DNA sequence, producing enough genetic material for DNA fingerprinting (note: DNA fingerprinting can be used with as little as 1 µg DNA; see pp. 502-503.) Both techniques can be used in forensic studies. Simplicity: a DNA polymerase Required: 1) DNA sequence with a known base sequence 2) short ss DNA primers (chosen based on DNA sequence) 15-20 nucleotides long (complementary to the two ends ... 2 cycles: 4x In 20 cycles: over 1 millionX In 30 cycles: over 1 billionX 1 cycle takes 5 minutes compare to DNA cloning in bacteria: w...

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  • Grade Level: High School

8. Genetic Fingerprinting

... greatest advance in science since finger printing itself. Genetic fingerprinting was first developed as an identification technique in 1985. It was originally used to detect genetic diseases but it was soon used in criminal investigations. DNA is extracted from the sample of blood, hair roots, semen or saliva. Enzymes that break the DNA apart are put in and the broken segments are arranged ... with gel, the process is called electrophoresis. The segments are marked with probes and placed on X-ray film. When the film develops they form a pattern of black bars "the DNA fingerprint. Geneti...

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  • Grade Level: High School

9. DNA

... partner is the pharmacologist; he studies the effect of the chemicals in the body. Often in a crime, blood can be found. The procedure to extract DNA blood cells and link them to a specific species is called serology, which is studied by a serologist. In today's increasing technology, analyzing clues requires high- ... can be determined by any clues coming from a human being. Often this evidence gives proof of identity of either the victim or the killer. Fingerprinting is the most common identification technique. "Everyone is born with a unique set of tiny ridges on the skin covering the...

  • Word Count: 1733
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

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