Table of contents | |
DNA Fingerprinting | |
How is DNA fingerprinting done? | |
Applications of DNA Fingerprinting | |
DNA Fingerprinting in India |
DNA fingerprinting is a laboratory method employed to establish a person's likely identity based on unique nucleotide sequences found in certain regions of human DNA. These nucleotide sequences belong to specific segments of human DNA known as repetitive DNA, and they are distinctive for each individual. DNA fingerprinting relies on these repetitive DNA sequences to determine a person's probable identification.
Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys invented DNA fingerprinting in 1984 when he realized that variations in human DNA, particularly in minisatellites, could be detected. This technique allows for the simultaneous detection of numerous minisatellites in the genome, resulting in a distinct pattern unique to each individual. This unique pattern is referred to as a DNA fingerprint.
Lalji Singh is recognized as the pioneer of DNA fingerprinting in India. He developed DNA fingerprinting for use in criminal investigations at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad in 1988. In 1989, the Kerala Police utilized DNA fingerprinting in a case for the first time.
DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is present within every cell in your body and functions as a sequence of chemical compounds that unite to establish enduring life plans.
A genome refers to the full collection of your genetic compounds.
DNA fingerprinting uses chemicals to separate strands of DNA and reveal the unique parts of your genome.
The results show up as a pattern of stripes that can be matched against other samples.
To get your DNA fingerprint, you would give a sample of cells from your body.
DNA profiling is primarily employed in legal cases and judicial matters related to criminal investigations or disputes.
Its applications include:
In forensic science, DNA profiles are particularly valuable because even a small trace of human material left at a crime scene can be adequate for identifying an individual.
The United Kingdom was the first nation to establish a national database of DNA profiles in 1995.
The Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) is an Indian biotechnology research institution situated in Hyderabad, India, and it is administered by the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India.
According to Article 51A(h) and (j) of the Indian Constitution, citizens have a responsibility to promote scientific knowledge, humanism, the spirit of inquiry, and reform, as well as to pursue excellence in individual and collective endeavors. Therefore, the Indian Parliament can legitimately support and advance the use of technical and scientific methods to expedite the criminal justice system, as specified in the union list.
Section 9 of the Indian Evidence Act of 1872 addresses "facts necessary to explain or introduce a fact in issue or relevant fact."
In specific situations, such as cases of rape, the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) through Section 53-A allows for the examination of an accused individual by a medical practitioner, including the collection of bodily substances for DNA fingerprinting.
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