Question

Palapye Biotech Company has 10 scientists in the same lab with you. One of the co-workers who attended another unnamed University in the country got jealous about how technologically advanced you are and decided to get you fired by unscrupulous means. The production strain goes missing. Pheww! You were the last person to visit the collections storeroom as witnessed by the collections storeroom logbook. You are then entrusted to do the investigation of the theft of the company´s novel production strain. During the investigation you acquire the following evidence; • A spot of blood on the corners of the tables in the store room suggesting that the suspect probably got injured in the haste ordeal • Hair follicles • Used gloves worn probably by the suspect to get the samples from the freezer vii. Your advisor suggests that you can use your molecular biology skills to identify the suspect, by using the serological tests. How will you argue (progressively) that the technology will not resolve the issue (2).

Answer 1

The main objective of forensic tests is to individualize samples through the identification of their sources. Serum is a liquid component of blood and contains water, trace minerals, albumin, antibodies, and other proteins. Serological testing involves screening for polymorphism by gel electrophoresis, Rh Positivity screening, ABO blood grouping, and precipitation for testing whether the blood is human or animal in origin.

Serological test are conducted on serum that is obtained after centrifugation of whole blood. Serological sampling cannot be carried out on dried blood. Sera cannot be obtained from dried blood due to clotting. Similarly, hair follicles don’t have any blood. Used gloves will have dried blood and can be contaminated.

The used gloves may have been used by other people to remove samples from the freezer. Hence, there would be contamination present on them. Hair follicles lack nuclear DNA. Hence, none of molecular testing of genes can be performed on these samples.