71.Paternity tests compare segments of DNA between the potential father and child.
72.There are other types of relationship testing that compares DNA between siblings, grandparents and grandchild, etc.
73.DNA tests can help you understand your risk of disease.
74.A DNA mutation or variation may be associated with a higher risk of a number of diseases, including breast cancer.
75.DNA tests can help you understand your family history aka genetic genealogy.
76.DNA tests can help you understand your ethnic make-up.
77.DNA can be extracted from many different types of samples: blood, cheek cells, urine.
78.DNA can be stored either as cells on a cotton swab, buccal brush, or frozen blood or in extracted form.
79.In forensics, DNA analysis usually looks at 13 specific DNA markers (segments of DNA).
80.The odds that two individuals will have the same 13-loci DNA profile is about one in one billion.
81.A DNA fingerprint is a set of DNA markers that is unique for each individual except identical twins.
82.Identical twins share 100% of their genes.
83.Siblings share 50% of their genes.
84.A parent and child share 50% of their genes.
85.You can extract DNA at home from fruit and even your own cheek cells.
86.DNA is used to determine the pedigree for livestock or pets.
87.DNA is used in wildlife forensics to identify endangered species and people who hunt them (poachers).
88.DNA is used in identify victims of accidents or crime.
89.DNA is used to exonerate innocent people who’ve been wrongly convicted.
90.Many countries, including the US and UK, maintain a DNA database of convicted criminals.
91.The CODIS databank (COmbined DNA Index System) is maintained by the BI and has DNA profiles of convicted criminals.
92.Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used to amplify a sample of DNA so that there are more copies to analyze.
93.We eat DNA every day.
94.DNA testing is used to authenticate food like caviar and fine wine.
95.DNA is used to determine the purity of crops.
96.Genetically modified crops have DNA from another organism inserted to give the crops properties like pest resistance.
97.Dolly the cloned sheep had the same nuclear DNA as its donor mom but its mitochondrial DNA came from from the egg mom. (Does that make any sense?)
98.People like to talk about DNA even if it bears no relation to science or reality.
99.A group of bloggers who write regularly about DNA and genetics have banded together to form The DNA Network.
100.Lists about DNA can get a little boring
by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei