Today DNA profiling is widely used in the field of forensic science to analyse evidence in law enforcement, mass disasters and paternity cases. DNA profiling (also called DNA fingerprinting, DNA testing or DNA typing) is an unambiguous identity technique that …show more content…
The earliest DNA profiling is the RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) method. In this technique the first step involved begins with a sample of an individuals DNA typically called a “reference sample”. The DNA is then extracted and cut into small fragments using a restriction enzyme. The enzyme used is called restriction endonucleases and it acts as molecular scissors. The long DNA strands will be “cut” at specific spots between any two of the four nucleotides that make up DNA, adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine, respectively. As each individuals DNA is different the enzyme will cut at different sites resulting in different sized fragments. The next step is called Gel Electrophoresis. A gel, a suspension that can carry an electrical charge is set up. DNA from each person, a control sample, and the sample from the unknown are loaded into different lanes of the gel insuring that the material doesn’t get mixed. An electric current is then run through the gel pulling the negatively charged DNA toward the positively charged end. The shorter fragments travel much farther than the longer fragments through the gel