DNA Barcoding

This is an interesting article regarding DNA “bar-coding”. Since I am currently enrolled in BIO 101 and we just took a test over DNA fingerprinting, I thought this article was very appropriate. This article is located on msnbc.com.

DNA fingerprinting comes in very handy for determining who the criminal might be (if he leaves any behind, that is). However, this article is talking about using the DNA fingerprinting to determine where trees are being harvested illegally, and what herbal medicines are really made of. This type of genetic technology could also contribute to early warning system for the spread of disease.

My initial reaction to this one is “how cool is that?” Now I am nowhere near a biology major, but I do find this kind of thing very interesting. They can actually use DNA fingerprinting to find out where animals are being “harvested” illegally.

There are links in the article referenced to even more fascinating stuff. One of the links has a photo of a handheld DNA barcoder that would allow scientists to more quickly determine the species of a plant or animal, and help them to identify and catalog the “vast biodiversity” before much of it becomes extinct.

So, if you find this type of thing interesting, please read the above referenced article and the articles linked to it. DNA bar-coding would do wonders for the scientific world as well as the criminal one mentioned above.