Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Ahead of print
    • Archive
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Reviewers
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Conflict of Interest
    • Informed Consent
    • Human and Animal Rights
  • More
    • Alerts
    • Feedback
    • Folders
  • ascls.org
    • ascls.org

User menu

  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
  • ascls.org
    • ascls.org
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Ahead of print
    • Archive
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Reviewers
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Conflict of Interest
    • Informed Consent
    • Human and Animal Rights
  • More
    • Alerts
    • Feedback
    • Folders
  • Follow ASCLS on Twitter
  • Visit ASCLS on Facebook
  • Follow ASCLS on Instagram
  • RSS Feed
Research ArticleFocus: Forensic Science

Forensic DNA Analysis

Jessica McDonald and Donald C. Lehman
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science April 2012, 25 (2) 109-113; DOI: https://doi.org/10.29074/ascls.25.2.109
Jessica McDonald
Senior Student, University of Delaware, Newark, DE
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Donald C. Lehman
University of Delaware, Newark, DE
EdD, MT(ASCP), SM(NRM)
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: dlehman@udel.edu
  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.

  1. Jessica McDonald
    1. Senior Student, University of Delaware, Newark, DE
  2. Donald C. Lehman, EdD, MT(ASCP), SM(NRM)⇑
    1. University of Delaware, Newark, DE
  1. Address for Correspondence: Donald C. Lehman, EdD, MT(ASCP), SM(NRM), Department of Medical Technology. University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, (302) 831-8432, dlehman{at}udel.edu
  1. Discuss the important developments in the history of DNA profiling.

  2. Compare and contrast restriction fragment length polymorphism and short tandem repeat analyses in the area of DNA profiling.

  3. Describe the structure of short tandem repeats and their alleles.

  4. Identify the source of DNA in a blood sample.

  5. Discuss the importance of the amelogenin gene in DNA profiling.

  6. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of mitochondrial DNA analysis in DNA profiling.

  7. Describe the type of DNA profiles used in the Combined DNA Index System.

  8. Compare the discriminating power of DNA profiling and blood typing.

Extract

Television shows such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Law and Order, Criminal Minds, and many others portray DNA analysis as a quick and simple process. However, these portrayals are not accurate. Since the discovery of DNA as the genetic material in 1953, much progress has been made in the area of forensic DNA analysis. Despite how much we have learned about DNA and DNA analysis (Table 1), our knowledge of DNA profiling can be enhanced leading to better and faster results. This article will discuss the history of forensic DNA testing, the current science, and what the future might hold.

History of Forensic DNA Testing Before 1953, it was unknown what molecules living organisms used to store information and to pass traits to offspring. In 1953, Rosalind Franklin, James Watson and Francis Crick determined DNA's double helix structure. DNA consists of two twisting strands of polymers held together by hydrogen bonds formed between the complementary base pairing of nucleotides: adenine to thymine and cytosine to guanine. This discovery led to subsequent questions on DNA's variability. How can such a simple molecule provide for the myriad of traits seen in a population? It was discovered that the differences in the arrangement of base pairs are the reason for the differences in individuals. These differences in base pair arrangements not only make individuals look different, but they also give individuals a unique DNA pattern or profile.

In 1984 in Leicester, United Kingdom, Sir Alec Jeffreys paved the way for future advances in…

ABBREVIATIONS: AFLP - amplified fragment length polymorphism; CODIS - Combined DNA Index System; DNA - deoxyribose nucleic acid; HLA - human leukocyte antigen; mtDNA - mitochondrial DNA; PCR - polymerase chain reaction; RFLP - restriction fragment length polymorphism; RMP - random match probability; STR - short tandem repeats; VNTR - variable number of tandem repeats.

    INDEX TERMS
  • Allele
  • Amelogenin
  • Amplicon
  • DNA profile
  • Electropherogram
  • Genotype
  1. Discuss the important developments in the history of DNA profiling.

  2. Compare and contrast restriction fragment length polymorphism and short tandem repeat analyses in the area of DNA profiling.

  3. Describe the structure of short tandem repeats and their alleles.

  4. Identify the source of DNA in a blood sample.

  5. Discuss the importance of the amelogenin gene in DNA profiling.

  6. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of mitochondrial DNA analysis in DNA profiling.

  7. Describe the type of DNA profiles used in the Combined DNA Index System.

  8. Compare the discriminating power of DNA profiling and blood typing.

  • © Copyright 2012 American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science Inc. All rights reserved.
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science: 25 (2)
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
Vol. 25, Issue 2
Spring 2012
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Index by author
  • Back Matter (PDF)
  • Front Matter (PDF)
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Forensic DNA Analysis
(Your Name) has sent you a message from American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
Forensic DNA Analysis
Jessica McDonald, Donald C. Lehman
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science Apr 2012, 25 (2) 109-113; DOI: 10.29074/ascls.25.2.109

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Request Permissions
Share
Forensic DNA Analysis
Jessica McDonald, Donald C. Lehman
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science Apr 2012, 25 (2) 109-113; DOI: 10.29074/ascls.25.2.109
Twitter logo Facebook logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • No citing articles found.
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • Forensic Microbiology
  • Forensic Toxicology
Show more Focus: Forensic Science

Similar Articles

Keywords

  • Allele
  • Amelogenin
  • Amplicon
  • DNA profile
  • Electropherogram
  • Genotype

© 2025 The American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science

Powered by HighWire