AN IMPROVED forensic technique could reduce the time taken to DNA profile a suspect. The new procedure can rapidly identify DNA within a wide range of samples left at crime scenes, such as hair, blood, skin and saliva.
Biological samples have to go through a complicated procedure to obtain a DNA profile. First, the DNA must be extracted before it is degraded by cellular proteins. Powerful protease enzymes are used to destroy these proteins. The sample must then be heated to deactivate the proteases before the DNA can be amplified and analysed using the “PCR” method. The process takes 1…
