STR-analysis
Dr. Julian Chollet (DE) will perform a STR-analysis on a single region/loci of your genome - with the DNA that you extracted the week before. Usually, 12-15 different ‘loci’ are analyzed to get a reliable result, which means that our experiment will not reconstruct potential family relationships within the group. But if two participants are closely related, it is highly probable that they will show the same fragment size. The workshop is about learning basic molecular biology techniques and understanding the concepts as well as the chemistry behind DNA.
STR-ANALYSIS - modified from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STR_analysis
A Short Tandem Repeat (STR) analysis is one of the most useful methods in molecular biology which is used to compare specific loci on DNA from two or more samples. A short tandem repeat is a microsatellite, consisting of a unit of two to thirteen nucleotides repeated hundreds of times in a row on the DNA strand. STR analysis measures the exact number of repeating units. The probes are attached to desired regions on the DNA, and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is employed to discover the lengths of the short tandem repeats. STR-analysis is mainly used for forensic analysis and proof of kinship, e.g. a paternity test.
Julian Chollet
Julian Chollet is a (no)mad scientist, curious student and informal teacher with a background in molecular biology. He is working on the endless and underexplored biodiverity of microbes, fungi and phages - with the aim to liberate the world from microphobia through workshopology, fermentation and microscopy. His current main project focuses on creative learning environments and public participation in science with emphasis on the invisible world. https://mikrobiomik.org/en
PCR
- Prepare mix and load into the epi tubes: polymerase master mix (half of the 2x master mix, 12,5ul + 12,5ul distilled water) + sample (10ul) + primer forward (2,5ul) + primer reverse (2,5ul)
Related Artworks
Heather Dewey-Hagborg, Stranger Visions
http://deweyhagborg.com/projects/stranger-visions
"In Stranger Visions I collected hairs, chewed up gum, and cigarette butts from the streets, public bathrooms and waiting rooms of New York City. I extracted DNA from them and analyzed it to computationally generate 3d printed life size full color portraits representing what those individuals might look like, based on genomic research. Working with the traces strangers unwittingly left behind, the project was meant to call attention to the developing technology of forensic DNA phenotyping, the potential for a culture of biological surveillance, and the impulse towards genetic determinism."