Arguments for and Against Development of Genetic Finger Printing.

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Arguments for and Against Development of Genetic Finger Printing

The fingerprinting process uses enzymes to cut out specific sequences of DNA. The DNA is arrange in length order and labelled with a radioactive marker. These emit x-rays, when the sample is photographed the markers can be seen. This produces the 'fingerprint' - a series of black lines corresponding to the DNA sequences present. Initially the DNA is removed from the sample cells by chemical methods, and the two strands of the double helix are separated. Restriction enzymes are then added. These identify a particular sequence and cut it away. This produces a mixture of free lengths of DNA. The next stage is to sort these sequences into length order. This is done using agarose gel electrophoresis. DNA is a charged molecule, so in an applied electric field it moves towards an electrode. The agarose gel slows down the larger molecules, but the shorter DNA strands move faster, so the process arranges the sequences in order. Acrylamide gel is sometimes used in a similar way for higher resolution ordering. Once the DNA sequences are ordered, chemical probes are added to the sample; like the restriction enzymes, these each select