Project Director

Kovach, Margaret

Department Examiner

Spratt, Henry; Bell, Rebekah; Kuhn, Stephen

Department

Dept. of Biological and Environmental Sciences

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

The advent of DNA identification methods has revolutionized forensic science. It is now possible to identify criminals from trace evidence, eliminate false leads, and discover the identity of a deceased individual long after their death. As DNA plays such important roles in criminal investigatious, determining the quality of DNA due to its exposure time enviroment is imperative. This experiment seeks to help narrow down the time frame that useful nuclear DNA (nDNA) can be extracted from a decaying body. The rate of DNA degradation was measured in Sprague-Dawlwy rat models placed in varied environmnts of Southeastern Tennessee. The environments included a wooded area, underwater, and a simulated arid environment.The rats were placed in their rescpective environments and allowed to decompose undistrubed for six weeks except for rountine nDNA collections every two days. These samples consisted of skin and hair taken from comparable areas of each rat. At the conclusion of collection, the DNA from these samples was extracted, amplified with polymerase chain reaction technology using microsatellite markers specific for chromosomes l, 20, and X, and analyzed via gel electrophoresis. The integrity of nDNA, as measure by PCR amplification of microsate11ite markers, followed the degradation of the whole body; positive DNA analysis was obtained out to day seven for the dry rat, day thirty-three for the wet rat, and day forty-two for the dessicated rat. sTR markers centrally located on larger chromosomes were more stable and reliable than those on smaller chromosomes, possibly due to a greater protective chromatin barrier surrounding the marker.

Degree

B. S.; An honors thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of Science.

Date

11-2006

Subject

DNA--Analysis; DNA fingerprinting; Forensic genetics

Discipline

Genetics and Genomics

Document Type

Theses

Extent

iv, 55 leaves

DCMI Type

Text

Language

English

Call Number

LB2369.5 .P844 2006

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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