subject: DNA Fingerprinting Techniques [print this page] DNA Fingerprinting Techniques DNA Fingerprinting Techniques
There are a large number of DNA Fingerprinting Techniques in use today. DNA Fingerprinting Techniques are used to identify individual DNA profiles. These profiles, or DNA Fingerprints, are used for a number of things. To obtain a DNA profile, a person's DNA is located in a sample of bodily fluids like saliva or blood, et cetera, or in something else like hair. Next, specific markers of DNA are located. This analysis is DNA Fingerprinting Analysis. The results of such an analysis are different for every individual, much like a fingerprint.
There are two primary uses of a DNA profile, for which different DNA Fingerprinting Techniques are utilized. Firstly, the use which popular culture has given the most attention to. Law enforcement often uses a DNA fingerprint or profile to identify a perpetrator. A very common and fruitful use, however, is commercial. Many people are using various DNA Fingerprinting Techniques to determine the paternity of a child or to determine an adopted child's biological parents. There are a number of uses for a DNA profile, and it is becoming more and more popular, especially in cases of questioned paternity.
The two DNA Fingerprinting Techniques that are used today are Single Locus and Multilocus. The single locus technique can identify a DNA genotype, while the multilocus techniques can identify a DNA phenotype. Sometimes, the multilocus technique is simply the single locus technique performed multiple times. In other words, a multilocus test is generally not necessary. When comparing DNA, the choice between the DNA Fingerprinting Techniques is not difficult. It is both less expensive and easier to perform a single locus test. The DNA genotype is a representation of the genetic makeup of a person and the DNA phenotype is the actual physical characteristics of a person. The multilocus test is generally not performed, because much more DNA is required.
For both law enforcement and commercial entities, the best of the DNA Fingerprinting Techniques is the single locus test. Such a test is admissible in a court of law and has been used for a number of years. Of the DNA Fingerprinting Techniques discussed, the single locus test is by far the most common. When attempting to determine paternity or other familial relation, the single locus test will give all the desired information.
Again, the two DNA Fingerprinting Techniques that are used today are Single Locus and Multilocus. For most purposes, single locus testing gives more than enough information. Both law enforcement and commercial entities utilize single locus testing when identifying perpetrators and when determining biological relationships. In the future, it is possible that new DNA Fingerprinting Techniques will be discovered, but for now, single locus testing is a technique that provides the information law enforcement and individuals need. Some governmental and private agencies have begun assembling DNA databases, which, much like traditional fingerprint databases, can be used to compare genetic samples to existing samples on record. While still somewhat controversial, this process does add to the effectiveness of DNA Fingerprinting in a practical environment.
