The Future of
DNA profiling
DNA forensics:
How DNA has
revolutionized
criminal investigations
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methods have
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become faster,
more sensitive, and
more user-friendly
since the first
murderer was
caught with help
from genetic
evidence.
Understanding:
4 • DNA profiling involves comparison of DNA
▹ DNA profiling is a technique by which individuals can
be identified and compared via their respective DNA
profiles
▹ Within the non-coding regions of an individual’s
genome there exists satellite DNA – long stretches of
DNA made up of repeating elements called short
tandem repeats (STRs)
▹ As individuals will likely have different numbers of
Comparative STR Lengths at Two Specific Loci
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Application:
• Use of DNA profiling in
paternity and forensic
investigations
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”
Application:
▹
7 DNA profiling is commonly used in criminal investigations (forensics) and
to settle paternity disputes
▹ The procedure involved is common for both:
▹ A DNA sample is collected (e.g. from blood, semen, saliva, etc.) and then
amplified using PCR
▹ Satellite DNA (with STR sequences) are cut with specific restriction
enzymes to generate fragments
▹ Fragment length will differ between individuals due to the variable
length of their short tandem repeats
▹ The fragments are separated using gel electrophoresis and the resulting
profiles are compared
8 Forensic Investigations:
Suspects should be a complete match with the
DNA sample taken from the crime scene if a
conviction is to occur
The number of loci used to generate a unique
profile depends on the size of the population
being compared
• E.g. America (population: ~ 320 million)
uses 13 loci for comparison; Australia
(population: ~ 25 million) uses only 9 loci
9 Paternity Testing:
Children inherit half their chromosomes from
each parent and thus should possess a
combination of parental fragments
In other words, all fragments produced in the
child should also be produced by either the
mother or father
Skill:
• Analysis of examples of DNA profiles
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Example 1: Forensic Investigation
Compare the DNA collected from the crime scene to determine which of the three suspects
was present (click picture to solve)
Example 2: Paternal Testing
11 Compare the profiles of three men with that of a mother and child to determine
the biological father (click picture to solve)
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What is the big impact
of the DNA profiling in
Forensic Science?
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THANK
You!