🚀 go-pugleaf

On 21 Sep 1995, George Greene wrote:
> 
> What I don't understand,  is, why do the results take so long?
> Hell, the relevant labs are less than 15 miles away and they CAN'T
> have any significant number of similar cases ahead of this one
> in the queue.  The mere fact that private sector labs have to
> be involved in this process is an outrage.  IN ANY SANE SOCIETY,
> they could've conducted the relevant DNA test within 2 hours
> of arrest.

Well, folks, speaking purely as a scientist here, DNA testing is not a 
matter of putting a tube into a computer and pressing a button. Molecular 
biology is not what you've come to expect from reruns of Batman ("Boy Wonder,
put that tube into the DNA analyzer." "Holy Cow, Batman! It matches!").
DNA testing involves, among other things:
1) extraction of DNA from a sample (several hours to a day)
2) digestion of DNA with highly specific enzymes (several hours)
3) most likely the amplification and labelling of the DNA (overnight, if 
you're good at it)
4) separation of the DNA by gel electrophoresis based upon size (several 
hours)
5) exposure of the DNA gel to film (overnight) or taking a picture of 
unlabelled DNA (stained with special chemicals) (a few minutes)
6) calculations of the sizes of the fragments based on comparisons to 
molecular weight standards (not so long)
7) comparisons of these calculations (ie to victim's DNA, accused's DNA),
and statistical analysis (who the heck knows how long)
Not to mention that any good scientist REPEATS her/his experiments to 
make sure that the results are accurate.

If anyone out there has actually done RFLP DNA fingerprinting, feel free
to correct me (I'm sure you will), but in any case, 
2 hours? I think not.

Peace,
Michael

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                                   ______
Michael James Tino                 \    /           "All I'm asking
Duke University                     \  /        is for a little respect
Department of Cell Biology           \/           (just a little bit)."
President,                                               -Aretha Franklin
    Graduate and Professional Student Council
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