Step 1.

Chop up the DNA into pieces using

an enzyme.
DNA fingerprinting
ACCGTGTGAACTTACGTGTGC
= a process for quantifying the similarity of | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
TGGCACACTTGAATGCACACG
the DNA of 2 or more individuals.

Step 1. Chop up the DNA into pieces using Step 1. Chop up the DNA into pieces using
an enzyme. an enzyme.

ACCGTGTGAACTTACGTGTGC ACCGTGTGAACTTACGTGTGC
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
TGGCACACTTGAATGCACACG TGGCACACTTGAATGCACACG

The enzyme recognizes a particular sequence The enzyme recognizes a particular sequence
of bases: of bases:
GTGTG GTGTG
| | | | | | | | | |
CACAC CACAC

Step 1. Chop up the DNA into pieces using Step 1. Chop up the DNA into pieces using
an enzyme. an enzyme.

ACCGTGTGAACTTACGTGTGC ACCGTGTGAACTTACGTGTGC
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
TGGCACACTTGAATGCACACG TGGCACACTTGAATGCACACG

The enzyme recognizes a particular sequence

of bases: ACC
GTGTG
| | | | | GTGTGAACTTAC
CACAC

GTGTGC
 ACCGTGTGAACTTACGTGTGC
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
TGGCACACTTGAATGCACACG

ACCGTGTGAACTTACGCGTGC
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
TGGCACACTTGAATGCGCACG

ACCATGTGAACTTACGCGTGC
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
TGGTACACTTGAATGCGCACG

ACCGTGTGAACTTACGTGTGC ACCGTGTGAACTTACGTGTGC
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
TGGCACACTTGAATGCACACG TGGCACACTTGAATGCACACG

ACCGTGTGAACTTACGCGTGC ACCGTGTGAACTTACGCGTGC
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
TGGCACACTTGAATGCGCACG TGGCACACTTGAATGCGCACG
mutation

ACCATGTGAACTTACGCGTGC ACCATGTGAACTTACGCGTGC
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
TGGTACACTTGAATGCGCACG TGGTACACTTGAATGCGCACG

3 12 6
ACCGTGTGAACTTACGTGTGC
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ACCGTGTGAACTTACGTGTGC
TGGCACACTTGAATGCACACG | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
TGGCACACTTGAATGCACACG

ACCGTGTGAACTTACGCGTGC
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ACCGTGTGAACTTACGCGTGC
TGGCACACTTGAATGCGCACG | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
mutation TGGCACACTTGAATGCGCACG
mutation
ACCATGTGAACTTACGCGTGC ACCATGTGAACTTACGCGTGC
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
TGGTACACTTGAATGCGCACG TGGTACACTTGAATGCGCACG
mutation mutation mutation mutation
 3 12 6 The more similar the DNA is between 2 individuals,
ACCGTGTGAACTTACGTGTGC the more similar will be the sizes of the fragments
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | of DNA.
TGGCACACTTGAATGCACACG

3 18
ACCGTGTGAACTTACGCGTGC
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
TGGCACACTTGAATGCGCACG
mutation
21
ACCATGTGAACTTACGCGTGC
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
TGGTACACTTGAATGCGCACG
mutation mutation

The more similar the DNA is between 2 individuals,

1 3
the more similar will be the sizes of the fragments
of DNA. 18 12
1 2 3 4 20 20
42 42
3 3 3 3 36 63 35 70
15 12 18 20 60 22 60
18 3 2 3
20 20 20 20 44 49 4
20 20 22 20 15
20 18
36 35 36 42 20
36 66
36
42
42 42 42 42
20 60 36 63
44 44 49 44 3 20 60
60 60 60 60 44 3
44
63 66 70 63

Step 2. Put the DNA fragments on a gel.

1 3
1 2 3 4

2
4
Step 2. Put the DNA fragments on a gel. Step 2. Put the DNA fragments on a gel.
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4
Step 3. Apply electric current to the gel.

• causes the fragments to move down the

gel.
• small fragments move faster than large
fragments.

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
long long
fragments fragments

short short
fragments fragments

1 2 3 4
long 1 2 3 4
fragments 3 3 3 3
18 15 12 18
20 20 20 20
20 20 22 20
36 36 35 36
42 42 42 42
44 44 49 44
60 60 60 60
short 66 70 63
63
fragments

1 2 3 4
Step 4. Compare the bands

• The more bands two individuals have in

common, the more similar their DNA is.
• If two columns show identical banding
patterns, the DNA came from the same
individual (or a twin).
 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

blood
from a
crime
scene

1 2 3 4

blood blood
from a from
crime a
scene suspect