Deoxyribonuclease (DNase)
Definition
An enzyme that cleaves the phosphodiester bonds in the DNA backbone, fragmenting double-stranded DNA into shorter pieces. Bacteria and fungi produce extracellular DNases as part of normal metabolism. High DNase activity in moist biological evidence is the primary enzymatic cause of rapid DNA degradation.
Related terms
- Chain of custody
- The documented chronological record of who collected, handled, transferred, and examined a piece of evidence. For digital evidence, chain of custody includes...
- Cold chain
- The documented, unbroken sequence of temperature-controlled environments (refrigerated vehicle, controlled intake, laboratory refrigerator or freezer) through which perishable biological evidence passes from...
- Paper packaging
- The standard packaging material for biological evidence. Paper is gas-permeable: residual moisture evaporates through the packaging after sealing, preventing the humid microenvironment...
- Partial DNA profile
- A DNA profile in which results were obtained at fewer loci than the full STR panel used. Partial profiles arise from degraded...
- Q10 rule
- The empirical observation that most chemical and enzymatic reaction rates roughly double for every 10-degree Celsius increase in temperature. Applied to DNA...
Explained in
- Packaging, Storage and the Cold Chain for Biological EvidenceAn enzyme that cleaves the phosphodiester bonds in the DNA backbone, fragmenting double-stranded DNA into shorter pieces. Bacteria and fungi produce extracellu...