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03/29/2024 12:47:00 am

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Scientists Can Now Tell the Difference of Twins' DNA

Twins

(Photo : REUTERS/JASON REED) Identical twin brothers Mason (L) and Hudson Forsyth from Toronto, Ontario, are pictured before taking part in a look-alike contest during the final day of the 32nd annual Twins Days Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio

Forensic scientists are still confused on a matching DNA of twins, but it could be solved through a recent discovery.

The last process in the study of domain of DNA profiling was cleared at the Huddersfield in the United Kingdom when scientists were able to distinguish the difference between the genetic profiles of an identical twin. DNA profile that was presented by the identical twins has led the forensic scientists to dead ends in figuring out the crime scene evidence.

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Gene mutations believed to occur through lifestyle variations, for instance, for example, if one twin smokes and the other doesn't, or if one works outside and the other works a desk-job can help distinguish one from the other, but the method is quite costly.

However, the melting DNA process is known to be less costly and does have different temperatures at which DNA strands of twins are separated and the melt marks does make the distinction between the siblings on which researchers has found out.

Dr. Graham Williams developed the “high resolution melt curve analysis” (HRMA) along with his Forensic Genetics Research Group.

“What HRMA does is to subject the DNA to increasingly high temperatures until the hydrogen bonds break, known as the melting temperature. The more hydrogen bonds that are present in the DNA, the higher the temperature required to melt them,” says Dr. Williams.

Through the HRMA, Dr. Williams said young twins and adult who does have similar lifestyle can’t be distinguished. The method does require a high-quantity samples that aren’t available on the scene of the crime.

Still, Dr. Williams and his colleagues were able to demonstrate a progress that leads to a relatively cheap and quick test in order to differentiate identical twins in forensic case work.

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