| The last decade has witnessed the most
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| | "types" among humans. You are most likely
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| impressive advancements in genetic
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| | to have the same type as your father at
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| technology. The proposal of deciphering
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| | the same region. However, since there are
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| the complete sequence of the human genome
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| | only 5 different types in the population,
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| some 16 years ago has unleashed an "arms
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| | your are also sharing the type with many
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| race" between public and private ventures
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| | other people that are not related to you,
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| with no precedent in life sciences. In an
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| | so that looking at this single region
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| implacable battle to publish the first
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| | will not tell for sure who your father
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| draft of the complete human genome, a
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| | is. If we look at another region, the
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| multi-national, publicly funded
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| | chances for sharing both of them with
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| consortium and a large biotech company
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| | unrelated people are lower, but it is
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| owned by the billionaire Craig Venter
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| | still possible. As the number of markers
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| spend billions in developing new
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| | increase, the probability of a random
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| technologies that allow rapid and
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| | match (sharing the same markers with an
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| accurate sequencing of DNA. This brought
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| | unrelated person) is lower. The best
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| enormous benefits for biological and
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| | paternity tests use as much as 16
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| medical research, and allowed for better
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| | different markers. Having a match for all
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| treatments and diagnostic tools.
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| | 16 markers by chance is virtually
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| Genetic testing is one of the fields that
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| | impossible, so a perfect match
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| greatly benefited from these outcomes. As
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| | conclusively tells that the two persons
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| we know from famous TV series, today is
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| | are father and child. Why not using even
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| possible to finger out a criminal by
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| | more markers? Because there is no need to
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| analyzing a single hair or a tiny drop of
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| | (with 16 markers, the probability of a
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| saliva. A more widespread application of
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| | false result is nil), and adding more
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| this technology is that of paternity
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| | markers to the analysis would only make
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| testing. A doubtful father can easily
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| | the test more expensive. Why not less
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| order a DNA testing kit, take a sample of
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| | than 16? Many labs use between 4 and 8
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| himself and his child and send it out to
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| | markers to make the test cheaper. By
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| a DNA testing facility. In a matter of
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| | choosing one of these you may save a few
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| days, he will receive a report confirming
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| | dollars, but your doubts will not be
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| of ruling out his biological fatherhood
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| | completely wiped out. Do you find this
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| on that child.
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| | acceptable? Surely not.
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| Although establishing paternity is the
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| | The second most important source of false
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| most frequent reason for having a DNA
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| | results of DNA testing is, paradoxically,
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| test done, there are many other
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| | one of its strengths. DNA tests are based
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| applications. For example, it is also
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| | on a technique called PCR (for Polymerase
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| possible to determine other familiar
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| | Chain Reaction). PCR was a revolutionary
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| relations such as brother/sisterhood,
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| | invention that warranted its creator a
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| maternity, paternity when the alleged
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| | Nobel Prize. One of the most important
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| father is not available and so on. People
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| | features of PCR is its sensitivity: it is
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| can also have a detailed analysis about
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| | possible to analyzed minute amounts of
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| their ethnic and genealogical background.
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| | DNA (in theory it can be done with a
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| These kinds of tests are often made out
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| | single cell). On one side, one can
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| of curiosity, but sometimes they can be
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| | analyzed DNA from a single hair, a tiny
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| very helpful. It is frequent that people
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| | spot of blood or even from the saliva
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| are excluded from certain benefits that
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| | obtained from a used cigarette, but the
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| are intended for a specific ethnic group,
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| | high sensitivity has a downside: it is
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| such as Native Americans because they
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| | very easy that such small samples become
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| cannot demonstrate their ancestry. DNA
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| | contaminated with DNA from other
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| testing is an effective and conclusive
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| | individuals, such as the police detective
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| way to prove a person's ethnic ancestry.
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| | that gathered blood spots at the crime
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| So far, everything looks fine. You need
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| | scene, the lab technician who processed
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| to have a DNA test done, so you do some
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| | the sampled and so on. Truly professional
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| research online. What you will find is an
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| | DNA labs follow strict guidelines and
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| overwhelming spectrum of DNA labs
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| | protocols to avoid contamination and have
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| offering paternity tests, and of course,
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| | University-trained personnel. In this
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| each of them claims that they are "the
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| | regard, if you send your DNA sample to an
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| best lab". What to do? Pick the first you
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| | inexperienced or ill-equipped DNA lab,
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| come across? Pick the cheapest? You don't
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| | you risk a false result since somebody
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| need to be an expert to decide, but
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| | else's DNA may be analyzed instead of
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| knowing the difference among all those
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| | yours due to improper manipulation or use
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| labs will allow you to make a wiser
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| | of cheap or defective lab materials.
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| decision. Why is this important? The
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| | If you are thinking of having a DNA
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| kinds of questions you seek to answer
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| | testing done, being for establishing
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| through a DNA test are not trivial. A man
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| | paternity, genealogical inquiry,
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| who is not sure if he is the true father
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| | determination of Native American status
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| of his children cannot accept a "maybe"
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| | or other reasons choose carefully. Avoid
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| as an answer, can he? Well, that is what
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| | labs offering very low prices. Check
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| he'll get if he chooses a cheap DNA test
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| | thoroughly to have an idea about the
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| from an inexperienced lab.
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| | price ranges out there. Only labs
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| All DNA tests are essentially similar in
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| | offering a multi-marker (ideally 16 for
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| their bare basics: they are all based on
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| | the standard paternity test) tests should
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| the same biological principles and use
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| | be trusted. Avoid labs that, judging from
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| the same kind of analytical methods.
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| | their websites appear to be small or
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| There are, however, some differences you
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| | amateur. Consider that some companies are
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| should take into account.
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| | offering "ready-to-use" DNA testing labs
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| One important difference is the number of
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| | that can be used by anyone to offer cheap
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| genetic markers they look at. Genetic
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| | DNA testing. DNA testing should only be
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| markers are simply specific regions in
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| | performed by qualified personnel and
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| the human genome that tend to be
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| | equipment. Check the author's biography
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| different among people. Imagine there is
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| | for recommended DNA testing services.
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| a region for which there are 5 different
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