Gel electrophoresis is a technique used by molecular biologists to analyze samples of DNA or proteins. DNA was collected from the scene of a crime. Gel electrophoresis was used to compare the crime scene DNA to the victim’s DNA along with the two suspects of the crime.
Figure 1 shows the gel sheet after each sample was run. Table 1 shows the distance each band traveled from the origin. The samples were run in the same gel with a DNA standard marker for comparison. Table 2 shows the results of the standard.
Figure 1. Created for Albert. All rights reserved.
Table 1
Standard (
mm
) Crime Scene (
mm
) Suspect 1 (
mm
) Suspect 2 (
mm
) Victim (
mm
)
18
29
26
29
8
23
33
29
33
18
28
34
30
34
25
34
35
32
35
30
45
47
36
47
32
47
48
48
34
Table 2
Distance (
mm
) Size of Fragment in Base Pairs (
bp
)
18
23109
23
9416
28
6557
34
4361
45
2328
47
2027
Which of the following hypotheses is supported by the data gained from the gel electrophoresis in Figure 1 and Table 1?
Elimination Tool
Select one answer
A
Suspect 1 was at the crime scene because his or her DNA markers matched those of the DNA at the crime scene.
B
Suspect 2 was at the crime scene because his or her DNA markers matched those of the DNA at the crime scene.
C
Both Suspect 1 and Suspect 2 were at the crime scene because their DNA markers matched those of the victim's.
D
Neither Suspect 1 or Suspect 2 were at the crime scene because neither of their DNA matches the DNA standard used in the electrophoresis.
A. Suspect 1 was at the crime scene because his or her DNA markers matched those of the DNA at the crime scene.
This is supported by the fact that the DNA markers of Suspect 1 matched those of the crime scene DNA, indicating that the DNA found at the crime scene likely belongs to Suspect 1.