DNA Fingerprinting KEY

Original Document: DNA Fingerprinting

Site: PBS / NOVA - go to http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ , click on Nova Teachers, then go to Life Science and find the activity on creating a DNA fingerprint.

Objective: Students will learn the steps of DNA fingerprinting by creating a fingerprint in a virtual lab. They will use this fingerprint to solve a virtual crime. The virtual lab is interactive and goes through the step-by-step process of DNA fingerprinting

1. What crime was committed? lollipop was licked

2. Who are the suspects? 7 sisters

Creating a DNA Fingerprint

3. What is Step 1? pour restriction enzymes

4. What does a restriction enzyme do to DNA? cuts it

5. What is Step 2? pour agarose gel

6. Describe agarose: like jell-o

7. What is Step 3? pour DNA

8. What is Step 4? push power

9. What is electrophoresis? moving molecules with electric current

10. Which fragments of DNA will move the farthest? smallest

11. What is Step 5? place nylon membrane

12. What is the purpose of the nylon membrane? for moving, gel is difficult to work with

13. What is Step 6? add probes

14. How are the probes labeled? radioactive

15. What is Step 7? place x ray film

16. Analyze the DNA. Which one of the suspects is the culprit? Honey

Site 2: Go to DNA.gov

17. Browse the website until you get a good idea what the purpose of the site is. In your opinion, what is DNA.gov being used for?

solving crimes, training law enforcement, storing data (lots of different answers)

18. DNA can be used to solve crimes, but the government also uses it for what other purposes? identify remains, clear people who have been convicted of crimes

19. Name a course that is offered at this site. answers vary

20. Look under statistics and find how many offender profiles are stored in your state's database. answers vary, Illinois has 401,218

What is a database? place where data is collected and stored