How Does DNA Testing Work?

DNA testing is a big part of popular culture. TV shows often feature DNA tests in one form or another, whether it is part of a criminal investigation in a detective show or whether it is a shocking parentage test on a talk show. What these shows will almost always fail to explain is the real way that DNA testing works. Like many things in life it is the case with DNA testing that a test for DNA off the television screen often has far more dramatic and interesting results than its fictional counterparts.

The first aspect of a test for DNA is finding the correct DNA sample to conduct a test on. The sample that is required for a DNA test depends heavily upon the type of test that is taking place and what its intended outcomes are. For example, if the purpose of the test for DNA is to determine whether a child is biologically related to the Father he thinks he is, then samples of the DNA from both the child and the disputed Father will be needed. If the test for DNA is intended to determine whether DNA evidence found at a crime scene is a match for certain men then the sample from the crime scene will be needed as well as samples from all of the men that are suspects in the case.

The sample needed for a test for DNA can be very small. Using advanced scientific techniques even a small sample of DNA can be replicated into a large, repetitive sequence of the same DNA. This larger amount gives the testers a lot more freedom to conduct various tests as the material to work with is no longer as limited as it was. Only certain sections of the DNA will be cloned in that fashion as only part of a human's DNA is unique to them. It is essential to clone the unique portion as otherwise meaningless matches will be the result. This is due to the fact that humans share 99% of their DNA.

An important part of the test for DNA process is making sure that the DNA sample is not contaminated or damaged in some way. If other DNA is mixed in then the results will become meaningless and inadmissible in a court of law. Similarly, if DNA is not stored correctly it will break down and no longer be suitable for testing.

At DNA testing plus, we have a highly trained staff that partners with a Lab which is staffed by a director of Operations with over 20 years of laboratory experience in DNA analysis and is recognized around the world as an expert in DNA research and analysis. Our partnered Laboratory Director has over 30 years of experience in genetic testing and DNA analysis and has served on the Board and numerous subcommittees of the AABB. When choosing a DNA testing company, choose a company that has proven itself in the industry through reliability, quality and trust. For More information please go to http://www.dnatestingplus.com Thank You.