Question:

What is DNA fingerprint? Mention its application.

Updated On: Oct 4, 2023
Hide Solution
collegedunia
Verified By Collegedunia

Solution and Explanation

DNA fingerprinting is a technique used to identify and analyze the variations in various individuals at the level of DNA. It is based on variability and polymorphism in DNA sequences. 

Application 

(1) It is used in forensic science to identify potential crime suspects. 

(2) It is used to establish paternity and family relationships. 

(3) It is used to identify and protect the commercial varieties of crops and livestock. 

(4) It is used to find out the evolutionary history of an organism and trace out the linkages between groups of various organisms

Was this answer helpful?
0
0

Top Questions on Molecular Basis of Inheritance

View More Questions

Questions Asked in CBSE CLASS XII exam

View More Questions

Concepts Used:

DNA Fingerprinting

​​DNA fingerprinting, also called DNA typing, DNA profiling, genetic fingerprinting, genotyping, or identity testing, in genetics, method of isolating and identifying variable elements within the base-pair sequence of DNA.

The procedure of DNA Fingerprinting:

The procedure for creating a DNA fingerprint consists of first obtaining a sample of cells, such as skin, hair, or blood cells, which contain DNA. The DNA is extracted from the cells and purified. In Jeffreys’s original approach, which was based on restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) technology, the DNA was then cut at specific points along the strand with proteins known as restriction enzymes. The enzymes produced fragments of varying lengths that were sorted by placing them on a gel and then subjecting the gel to an electric current (electrophoresis): the shorter the fragment, the more quickly it moved toward the positive pole (anode). The sorted double-stranded DNA fragments were then subjected to a blotting technique in which they were split into single strands and transferred to a nylon sheet. The fragments underwent autoradiography in which they were exposed to DNA probes—pieces of synthetic DNA that were made radioactive and that bound to the minisatellites. A piece of X-ray film was then exposed to the fragments, and a dark mark was produced at any point where a radioactive probe had become attached. The resultant pattern of marks could then be analyzed.