Recent Uses of DNA Technology Essays - 1020 Words

Recent Uses of DNA Technology DNA, Deoxyribonucleic Acid, is the basic structure for all life, it is the blueprint, the instruction manual, on how to build a living organism. DNA is made up of four nitrogen bases, adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine which are connected by sugar-phosphate bonds. Through a process called Protein Synthesis, the nitrogen bases are the code for the creation of amino acids. Essentially, DNA makes amino acids, amino acids make proteins, proteins make organisms. This process has been taking place for much longer than scientists have been able to document. Those scientists are called geneticists and their field is genetics. Genetics and the study of heredity began with Gregor Mendel, a monk that†¦show more content†¦After the spike in DNA discoveries and confirmations that could be compared to the 1849 California gold rush, scientists began to try to find other uses for DNA. Since then, DNA has been used for many things such as finding criminals and confirming paternity/maternity. Also DNA has been used to track diseases and problems that start at the molecular level. Three of the newer advances in DNA technology are DNA Fingerprinting, Recombinant DNA (rDNA) and Paternity/Maternity Tests. DNA Fingerprinting, also known as DNA Profiling, is a method used to identify a person using DNA patterns that are specific to him/her. 99.9% of DNA is identical in every human being, but .01% is enough to distinguish between people. It is most commonly used in criminal cases to link a criminal to his/her crime scene, but is also used for paternity/maternity tests, and immigration records. Usually a skin, hair, or body fluid sample is collected from a crime scene or criminal or test candidate, then DNA is extracted and cut using enzymes that recognize patterns in DNA and run through a gel by an electric current in a process called electrophoresis (Annely). DNA fingerprinting was discovered by Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys from the Univer sity of Leicster. After spending time studying molecular biology in Amsterdam with Dick Flavell, Jeffreys moved to the university and set out to â€Å"marry the newShow MoreRelatedRecent Developments In Gene Editing, Concerning The Modification1447 Words   |  6 PagesRecent developments in gene editing, concerning the modification of embryonic cells and its’ usefulness since the discovery of iPS cells Abstract This essay addresses the question â€Å"In light of the recent developments with iPS cells, is the genetic modification of human embryos justified?†. New gene editing software CRISPR has created cheaper and more accurate modification, making the editing of an embryo a possibility. There are concerns about this advancementRead MoreThe Importance of Dna Evidence1575 Words   |  7 PagesThe Importance of DNA Evidence What is DNA? 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