DNA fingerprinting: a powerful tool in forensics and beyond

In the same way that the ridges on our fingertips or the patterns in our irises differ, there are regions in our DNA that are unique.

This individuality is the basis for DNA fingerprinting, a laboratory technique that plays an important role in forensics, medicine and other scientific fields.

In this blog, we take an in-depth look at this approach, delving into the steps involved, as well as its applications and limitations.

DNA fingerprinting – often referred to as DNA profiling, molecular typing or molecular fingerprinting – is a scientific method used to determine an organism's genetic make-up and, if relevant, to compare it to that of others. When applying the technique to the human genome, polymorphic regions are analyzed. While more than 99 % of the human genome is identical across all individuals,¹ polymorphic regions vary significantly, and can therefore be used to establish a DNA profile that is almost unique to a person.²

The keyword here is 'almost' – because monozygotic twins, who come from a single fertilized egg, are an exception. They share DNA profiles so similar that they are indistinguishable by DNA fingerprinting. However, it's worth noting that even monozygotic twins don't share 100 % of their genome. Recent studies suggest that an average of 5.2 mutations occur early in their development,³ leading to minor differences in their DNA profiles.