OK, all body parts and fluids contain cells, these cells contain your DNA. But how long after, for example, bleeding on the floor, can current forensic science trace your DNA? What are the factors involved, does the blood have to be fresh (i.e. not dried)?
P.S. Don't worry, this is purely out of interest - I'm not trying to work out if the cops are likely to trace me or anything! :-)
2006-10-25 01:13:39 · 14 answers · asked by Chris W 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
DNA in dried stains is remarkably resilient to degradation and can be detected many, many, many years later. The DNA breaks down if the stains are kept wet . However, the profiling techniques have become more and more sensitive and now even a few copies of degraded DNA can be amplified by PCR (polymerase chain reaction). A particularly sensitive procedure for this purpose is known as LOW COPY NUMBER. It is also possible to type mitochondrial DNA. These procedures were used to analyse the bones from the assassinated Romanov family and for obtaining a profile from James Hanratty's exhumed body. I hope this gives you a flavour of what can now be done. Oh, and I don't know if you asked a few days ago but you can get a profile from dried nasal secretions!
2006-10-25 05:23:37 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
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RE:
How long after leaving the body does DNA remain 'trace-able'?
OK, all body parts and fluids contain cells, these cells contain your DNA. But how long after, for example, bleeding on the floor, can current forensic science trace your DNA? What are the factors involved, does the blood have to be fresh (i.e. not dried)?
P.S. Don't worry, this is purely...
2015-08-06 09:19:06 · answer #2 · answered by Sunni 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
DNA degrades with time, but in perfect conditions it could last for several thousand years. It certainly would not last for millions of years, or even hundreds of thousands of years. If any DNA is found in a specimen claimed to be millions of years old, such as a dinosaur bone, this would actually indicate that such a specimen is not as old as was thought.
So beware of Jurassic Park type scenarios. They are pure fiction. This does not mean that DNA could not be found in a dinosaur bone or an insect in amber. It simply means that the 'millions of years' dating must be incorrect and that (as many people now believe from a growing body of evidence) these creatures lived much more recently than we are led to believe.
2006-10-25 09:02:30 · answer #3 · answered by A.M.D.G 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
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2016-04-22 10:58:39 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Like forever, I don't know, it's a pretty long time! They use DNA off cigarette butt to solve 30 and 40 year old murder cases.
2006-10-25 01:22:19 · answer #5 · answered by sparkles 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In a cool dry place it could last for years. If it is hot or moist the DNA will degrade pretty quickly. DNA can easilly be recovered from dried blood.
2006-10-25 01:20:42 · answer #6 · answered by uselessadvice 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It never leaves
they can take a dna sample from bone hundreds of years old
2006-10-25 01:22:03 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I heard lately that British scientists have now been able to separate two or more DNAS so cases that were thought to be unsolveable are now coming to light
2006-10-25 06:51:32 · answer #8 · answered by ann.inspain 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If it is uncontaminated, then it can last for centuries, if not millenias. DNA of egyptian mummies can be analyzed. DNA of 10000 year old mammouth remains can be decoded. DNA from dinosaurs bones was also partly identified, that makes it 65 million years at least.
2006-10-25 01:24:04 · answer #9 · answered by Vincent G 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
is evidence was placed in a court system, with dna, seminal dna on fabric, what is the likely longevity of the specimen?
2014-07-26 15:48:29 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋