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In 1991, the body of a man was found frozen beneath a glacier in Italy - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 11 - 2014 - Paper 1
Question 11
In 1991, the body of a man was found frozen beneath a glacier in Italy. Researchers named him Ötzi. It was determined that Ötzi died 5300 years ago and that his body... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:In 1991, the body of a man was found frozen beneath a glacier in Italy - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 11 - 2014 - Paper 1
Step 1
Describe the process scientists would use on a small sample of Ötzi's DNA to obtain larger quantities of identical DNA.
Answer
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Extract DNA: Scientists first isolate the DNA from the cells by breaking down the cell membranes using detergents and enzymes, thereby releasing the DNA into the solution.
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PCR Amplification: The extracted DNA is then subjected to Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). This process involves heating the DNA to approximately 90 °C to separate the strands, followed by cooling to allow primers to attach to the target sequences.
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Replication: A special enzyme, Taq polymerase, is used to copy the DNA strands. This replication process is repeated many times, exponentially increasing the quantity of identical DNA for further analysis.
Step 2
Using gel electrophoresis, scientists discovered that there were four different types of blood on Ötzi's clothes. Their results were as follows.
Answer
Ötzi's blood taken from his blood vessels consisted of blood samples that exhibited variations in genetic material. Specifically, samples 1 to 4 were analyzed and categorized based on their distinctive properties, which facilitated further investigation into the origins and characteristics of the blood.