- 01 Introduction
- 02 Biology of DNA
- 03 Practical Issues Specific to DNA Evidence
- 04 Introduction to the Forensic DNA Laboratory
- 05 Assuring Quality in DNA Testing
- 06 Understanding a Forensic DNA Lab Report
- 07 Statistics and Population Genetics
- 08 Mitochondrial DNA & Y-STR Analysis
- 09 Forensic DNA Databases
- 10 Collection of DNA Evidence from Suspects and Arrestees
- 11 Pretrial DNA Evidence Issues
- 12 Victim Issues
- 13 Trial Presentation
- 14 Postconviction DNA Cases
- 15 Emerging Trends
Principles of Forensic DNA
for Officers of the Court
for Officers of the Court
Module 2 :: Biology of DNA
Topic 1 :: Biological Terminology
Coding Versus Noncoding Regions
DNA has coding and noncoding regions. Coding regions are responsible for making proteins and are often called genes. Noncoding regions are those pieces of DNA between the coding regions that do not make any known proteins.
Approximately 95% of a person's DNA is made up of noncoding DNA which is sometimes nicknamed "junk DNA" because it does not code for any physical characteristics or proteins. The name "junk" does not imply unreliability for identification testing.
