DNA Fragmentation
Definition
Physical breakage of the DNA backbone into short pieces. In degraded samples the average fragment length may be 50-200 bp, making long PCR amplicons impossible to form.
Related terms
- Collagen Peptide Barcoding
- Species identification from trypsin-digested collagen analysed by mass spectrometry. Peptide sequences differ between species at diagnostic positions that survive tanning and heat...
- Library Preparation (aDNA)
- Enzymatic end-repair, adapter ligation, and amplification of all DNA fragments in a sample regardless of length, used in ancient-DNA and degraded-sample workflows....
- Metagenomics
- The direct sequencing of all DNA extracted from an environmental sample, bypassing the need to culture individual organisms. It produces a community-wide...
- PCR Inhibitor
- A co-extracted substance that interferes with Taq polymerase activity or primer annealing. Common inhibitors in forensic samples include haemoglobin (from blood on...
- Short-Amplicon Strategy
- A PCR design that targets the shortest possible fragment length: often 80-150 bp: within a diagnostic locus such as COI. Shorter targets...
Explained in
- DNA from Degraded and Processed Wildlife ProductsPhysical breakage of the DNA backbone into short pieces. In degraded samples the average fragment length may be 50-200 bp, making long PCR amplicons impossible...