You are a crime scene investigator,and the only evidence you are able to gather at the crime scene are some strands of hair.You want to see whether a suspect in custody was at the crime scene.What technique would you use to try and connect the suspect to the crime scene?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

PCR (polymerase chain reaction) can amplify small amounts of DNA, so it can generate enough DNA for analysis from a small sample such as a few strands of hair. Analyzing small tandem repeats (STRs) is a common method used to compare DNA samples to determine if they match. STRs are short repeated sequences of DNA that vary in length from person to person, making them useful for identifying individuals. By comparing the STR profile of the suspect to the STR profile of the DNA sample from the crime scene, it can be determined whether the suspect was present at the scene of the crime. PCR is used to amplify the small amount of DNA in the hair sample to generate enough DNA for STR analysis. Cloning and transgenics or recombinant DNA techniques are not applicable in this scenario.

You Are a Crime Scene Investigator,and the Only Evidence You