Forensic DNA Fingerprinting Kit

Run your DNA gels in 10 minutes!

Find Out How

DNA evidence assists in criminal, missing persons, mass disaster, and paternity cases. It can be used to identify a perpetrator or exonerate the innocent. The Forensic DNA Fingerprinting kit allows your students to use real DNA as evidence, as they play the role of crime scene investigator to figure out for themselves "Who done it?"

Features and Benefits

• Aligns with AP Biology Big Idea 3, Lab 9
• Two–session laboratory activity, 45 min per session
• Provides sufficient materials for eight student workstations, up to four students per workstation

With this kit, students are able to:

• Study DNA restriction enzyme function and use in genetic engineering
• Use electrophoresis to separate DNA fragments
• Use standard curves constructed from their data to make precise determinations of DNA fragment sizes
• Read plasmid maps and predict the sizes of DNA fragments from restriction enzyme digests prior to performing the laboratory activity
• Use restriction digest maps of lambda bacteriophage genomes (provided in the kit) to design novel plasmids
• Discuss scientific, ethical, and legal implications of forensics, DNA profiling, and genetic engineering

How It Works

The six DNA samples in the Forensic DNA Fingerprinting Kit are plasmids engineered to mimic the natural variations in DNA that exist between one human being and another. One DNA sample has been collected from a "crime scene" and five samples have been obtained from various "suspects." Each sample is digested using a mixture of two DNA restriction enzymes, which generates a distinct set of DNA fragments for each sample. The resulting DNA fragments are separated by agarose gel electrophoresis and visualized using Bio-Rad's revolutionary Fast Blast™ DNA Stain.

Additional Information

This kit is a resource for the HOSA competitive event in Biotechnology. To learn more, visit HOSA.org or bio-rad.com/HOSA.

This hands-on activity is integrated with the Lt Biology Collection, the online learning platform from ADInstruments.