Shrimp as criminal investigators

DNA traces

Have you ever heard of DNA traces? When a crime has taken place, the police often search for a strand of hair or skin cells from the criminal's body. If the police find such traces, they can use modern technology to quickly enlarge them enough to gather lots and lots of information about the criminal. They can see how old the criminal is, whether it is a woman or a man, and a number of other things.

However, to use this technique, known as DNA analysis, they need something that makes it possible to put the DNA pieces together. This is where the shrimp comes in.

The water from the thawed shrimp actually contains an enzyme that makes something called a polymerase chain reaction, allowing the pieces of the "puzzle" to fall into the right place. This substance is very expensive, about MNOK 350 for a kilo! Something to think about the next time you and your family thaw frozen shrimp.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Enzyme

Proteins are the body's building blocks. But sometimes a protein can have a different special role to play in the body, and then is it called an enzyme. There are many different kinds of enzymes. Some of the jobs an enzyme can do include breaking down food, replicating DNA and making energy for the cells.

DNA

DNA is the genetic material in animals and plants. Every single cell in your body contains a DNA recipe for how YOU will be and look.

Translation: Linda Sivesind

*Published in 'Nysgjerrigper' No. 4, 2000 *