Identical Twins DNA – A Challenge for Crime Solving
How do law officials distinguish the guilty from the innocent if they are identical twins? Law and Order SVU episode Double Strands tackles this complicated scenario. The storyline presents itself to the viewer as an open and shut case because of a DNA match; however, the prime suspect continues pleading his innocence. The tenacious detectives later discover the suspect has an identical twin who is the actual guilty party. Although their DNA can’t distinguish the guilty from the innocent, fingerprints are the key! Did you know that fingerprints are one exception to the identical twin rule? Fingerprints are unique to every human being – even identical twins. Did you also know there are other traits that aren’t identical in identical twins? Identical twins are of the same sex, except in a few rare cases where a genetic abnormality occurs and one of the twins is born with both sex organs. Other unique traits of identicals can be handedness and hair whorl patterns. For example, one twin might be left handed and the other right handed. Or one twin might have a cowlick and the other does not. Did you also know that identical twins have the same nuclear DNA but they don’t have the exact same mitochondrial DNA? Scientists actually use the term monozygotic (from one fertilized egg) instead of identical because of these differences. Watch the episode here. http://www.nbc.com/law-and-order-special-victims-unit/video/double-strands/1361805
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