DNA profiling uses short tandem repeats (STRs) to identify individuals and can be used for law enforcement or genealogy. It is based on non-coding, unique DNA strands and can take weeks or months to complete. False results can occur due to damaged or contaminated samples.
DNA profiling is a technique in which a sample of DNA undergoes laboratory analysis to generate information about it, specifically looking for DNA that could identify the source of the sample or be used as a basis for comparison between two samples. It can use the DNA of someone who is unknown, or the DNA of someone who is known, and it can be used in a variety of ways, from law enforcement to genealogy.
This technique is based on the presence of so-called short tandem repeats (STRs) in the genetic code of every organism on Earth. These repetitive strands of DNA are non-coding, meaning they do not contribute to the expression of an organism’s genome, but they can provide valuable information about an individual, because they tend to be very unique. DNA profiling is sometimes referred to as DNA fingerprinting for this reason, referring to the idea that finding an exact match between STRs in two different people would be very rare under most circumstances.
Several techniques can be used to extract DNA and look at areas of interest. Usually, DNA profiling is based on a baseline sample, such as known DNA from a missing person or crime scene DNA, with a comparison sample taken from a person of interest to look for a match. It is also sometimes used to look for indications that two people are related, as people who are related may share some STR in their DNA, although the lack of a conclusive match does not necessarily mean that two people are not related.
The profiling process is performed by a technician who has been trained to work with a wide variety of samples and to look for specific areas for comparison. DNA profiling can also look at similar alleles, areas of the genome that code for particular proteins, although this process may be less reliable because many people share alleles.
DNA typing, as it is sometimes known, debuted in the 1980s and was in widespread use by the late 1990s. A number of misconceptions about the process have also emerged: Fans of crime shows, for example, may get the impression that DNA profiling can be done in minutes and that DNA samples are always easy to work with. In fact, some samples can be very difficult to work with and the DNA profiling process can take weeks or months, especially in a busy lab. Furthermore, the process is not entirely foolproof, as samples can be damaged or contaminated, resulting in false negatives or positives.
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