Video Transcript
Which of the following is not an application of DNA fingerprinting? (A) Inserting new genes into organisms. (B) Forensically analyzing evidence, e.g., hair and blood, left at crime scenes. (C) Determining the paternity of a child. (D) Diagnosing inherited genetic disorders. (E) Preventing the inbreeding of closely related captive animals.
Let’s start by recalling what DNA fingerprinting is. In DNA fingerprinting, a visual representation of a person’s genetic profile is created. DNA fingerprinting relies on the fact that every individual has a unique genetic sequence. While humans share over 99.9 percent of their genomes, every individual has unique differences in their sequence of nucleotides. Because of this, every individual has a unique DNA fingerprint. Let’s take a look at some of the applications of DNA fingerprinting.
DNA fingerprinting can be applied to the field of forensics. Evidence collected at a crime scene, such as hair or blood, can carry the DNA of the perpetrator. By creating a DNA fingerprint, forensic scientists may be able to identify the person who committed the crime from a group of suspects. They take samples from each suspect and compare their DNA fingerprints to the one found at the crime scene. If they manage to find a match, they may have found the criminal.
DNA fingerprinting can also be used for paternity testing, because the child will have inherited half of their genetic material from the biological father. If a child’s paternity is questioned, scientists can solve the issue using DNA fingerprinting. Half of the child’s DNA fingerprint will resemble their biological mother’s, and the other half will resemble their biological father’s. In this example, you can see that the potential father’s DNA fingerprint resembles the child’s. So this man is likely to be the biological father.
Another important application of DNA fingerprinting is identifying genetic disorders. Certain disorders are inherited, which means that they are passed from parent to offspring. If one of the parents has a genetic disorder, analyzing the DNA fingerprint of the child could help determine if this disorder has been inherited.
Finally, DNA fingerprinting can be utilized in breeding, especially for animals in captivity. Animals in captivity can be closely related, which can lead to increased chances of genetic disorders and deformities when they mate. DNA fingerprints can be compared to determine which animals are genetically dissimilar enough to breed successfully.
We now have enough information to answer our question. The option that does not indicate an application of DNA fingerprinting is given by answer choice (A): inserting new genes into organisms.
