What Is A Dna Fingerprint?
We all know what a fingerprint is, but what is a DNA fingerprint?
The natural markings on the skin of our finger tips are in the form of whorls or ridges or arches. These markings are unique to each one of us. The impressions made by them are also hence unique. If you press your ink coated fingers onto a piece of white paper, the impression made will be your own fingerprint.
Forensic scientists have long studied the characteristics of the impressions formed by individual finger prints. They have discovered that these impressions are unique to each individual and hence finger prints have been used as a source of identification for a long time.
The chances of your finger prints being exactly like someone else is said to be 1 in 64 billion. So this is practically an infallible means of personal identification. However, recently, the use of fingerprinting as a means of identification especially by forensic scientists has been criticized. This is because of potential errors in accurately evaluating the finger prints obtained from various crime scenes of interest to the forensic services. More over, today more accurate means of personal identification are available. A DNA fingerprint is a more sophisticated and highly accurate means of identification of a person. This is because DNA of an individual has certain characteristics which are unique for that individual. DNA is a thin, narrow, string-like material found within the cells of our body. It is made up of four building-blocks which are arranged in a unique way for every one of us. Each of our cells will have a sample or compliment of our DNA and this will be exactly the same in all our cells. This means all cells from an individual will have exactly the same DNA sample or compliment. This fact is applied when DNA is tested with the purpose of identifying an individual. When two samples of cells from one individual is tested and analyzed for their DNA, exact patterns will be made no matter how many times it is done. The results of such an analysis of the DNA of an individual are often referred to a DNA fingerprint. It is sometimes referred as a genetic fingerprint because a gene is a part of the DNA. Just like finger prints, the DNA of a person never changes. It remains the same through out the life of an individual. This makes it possible to use the record of DNA analysis as a means of identification. The DNA record will be the same for an individual irrespective of the time elapsed between taking two samples. So, a DNA finger print is nothing but a record of the analysis of DNA of an individual.
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