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  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2003  > April  >
In the Laboratory
Identification of Forensic Samples via Mitochondrial DNA in the Undergraduate Biochemistry Laboratory
Julie T. Millard and André M. Pilon
Department of Chemistry, Colby College, Waterville, ME 04901
Cover
April 2003
Vol. 80 No. 4
p. 444
Abstract
A recent forensic approach for identification of unknown biological samples is mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing. We describe a laboratory exercise suitable for an undergraduate biochemistry course in which the polymerase chain reaction is used to amplify a 440 base pair hypervariable region of human mtDNA from a variety of "crime scene" samples (e.g., teeth, hair, nails, cigarettes, envelope flaps, toothbrushes, and chewing gum). Amplification is verified via agarose gel electrophoresis and then samples are subjected to cycle sequencing. Sequence alignments are made via the program CLUSTAL W, allowing students to compare samples and solve the "crime."
Supplement
Instructions for the students and notes for the instructor are available.
*  Contents JCE2003p0444W.doc (Microsoft Word)
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JCE2003p0444W.pdf

JCE2003p0444W.zip

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More Information
*  Citation
 Millard, Julie T.; Pilon, André M. J. Chem. Educ. 2003 80 444.
*  Keywords
 Biochemistry; Laboratory Instruction; Collaborative / Cooperative Learning; Forensic Chemistry; Nucleic Acids / DNA / RNA
*  History
 Created:
Last Updated:		 March 10, 2003
February 28, 2005
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