Forensics Application -

Biotechnology
Kiera Jost, Hannah Gorman, Lauren Bertelson, Danielle
Honan
Suspects
Dr. Dangerkitty (A, 1): Claims to not be interested in her brain, is upset about not
receiving a part of the grant money, claims she took it all. Multiple personalities.

Dr. Canada (B,2): At the hockey rink until he went to the party, Thinks Donley is
sketchy, Upset because she rejected him for a position at the lab, claims he
couldnt murder her if he was at the hockey rink

Dr. Island (C,3), denies that Donley blackmailed her about her immigration status,
likes Dr. High?
Suspects (cont.)
Dr. Sheetburger (D,4): Maybe is a spy, people watched at the party, left at midnight,
she is just an acquaintance of Donely, thinks what she did is great. Knowledge of
poisons, maybe double agent.

Dr. High (E,5): Claims he didnt attend the party, claims he didnt poison her, thinks
Dangerkitty poisoned her, rejectected by Donleys sister
Blood Sample From Crime Scene
The blood from the scene was B+

Dr. Dangerkitty has B+ blood

Dr. High has B+ blood, also claims he wasnt at the party

They may have either had a fight with Donley and then taken the pathogen,which is
supported by the fact that they are both infected with the pathogen. It does not
match the fingerprint on the incubator.
Finger Print
Fingerprint at the on the incubator at the crime scene matches Dr. Sheetburger's
fingerprint, proving he opened it. The ELISA test doesnt show that he was infected
with the pathogen.
Electrophoresis DNA Analysis
The DNA at the crime scene matches suspect 3, who is Dr. Island. This means Dr.
Island was at the crime scene, and could explain the long hair on the lab coat at the
crime scene. The ELISA test shows that she was not infected with the pathogen.
Lip Print
The lip print on the napkin matches suspect 3, who is Dr. Island which proves she
was at the party. He also has extensive knowledge of poisons and could have been
at the party to slip the cyanide into her drink.
ELISA
The positive test result matched both suspect Dr. Sheetburger and Dr. Island
meaning both were infected with the antigen and were producing the antibody.
The vials that were stolen contained TB, smallpox, and HIV
Who did it?
Dr. High was in a fight with Dr. Doodles, which is why his blood type was found at the crime scene. He had
some beef with Dr. Doodles sister, because she rejected him earlier at the party. After drinking at the party
he was unable to distinguish between the two of them and thought he was fighting with her sister.

The fingerprint shows that Dr. Sheetburger was at the crime scene, and opened the incubator. He was
working with Dr. Island, whose DNA was found at the crime scene, as proved by the DNA fingerprint test.
When they were in the lab, stealing the pathogen, they were both exposed, as proved by the ELISA test.

The lip print proved that Dr. Island was at the party, and since she was working with Dr. Sheetburger, who is
an expert on poisons, so she may have used his knowledge to try to poison Dr. Doodles. Their attempt to
poison her failed.
The science of the
missing pathogens
Missing Fast Facts:

Pathogen #1: Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly contagious,

often severe bacterial infection
Mycobacterium
Primarily affects the lungs
tuberculosis Major cause of disability and death
worldwide
A leading cause of death for people
infected with HIV
More than 90% of TB deaths occur in low
and middle income countries
In 2014, 1.5 million people died from TB

mycobacterium tuberculosis 030.jpg

Missing Science of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Pathogen #1: Genome structure

Circular chromosomes
Mycobacterium About 4,200,000 nucleotides long
tuberculosis G + C content 50%
Different strains of Mycobacterium
tuberculosis show a 95-100% DNA
similarity (could be considered the same
species)
Plasmids in the bacteria important to
transferring virulence because the genes
are easily transferred
mycobacterium tuberculosis 030.jpg
Missing Science of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
(continued)
Pathogen #1:
Cell structure
Mycobacterium Tough cell wall prevents passage of
tuberculosis nutrients into and out of the cell
Results in a slow growth rate

Gram positive cell wall
Has about 190 transcriptional regulators
These respond to environmental
factors
M. tuberculosis can adapt to its
mycobacterium tuberculosis 030.jpg
environment due to transcription
Missing Fast Facts:

Pathogen #2: Smallpox is a serious infectious

Smallpox disease caused by the variola virus
It is highly contagious
Symptoms:
Fever and a distinctive skin rash
Vaccination eradicated smallpox
No cases of naturally occurring
smallpox have happened since
1977
smallpox-virus.jpg Last natural outbreak in the US
was in 1949
Missing Science of Smallpox

Pathogen #2: The variola virus, which causes

Smallpox smallpox, is a large, rectangular,
double-stranded DNA pathogen
Replicates in the cytoplasm of host
cells
Only infects humans
Does not exist in a carrier state
Capable of surviving for a short
period of time
smallpox-virus.jpg Spread by inhalation
Missing Science of Smallpox (continued)

Pathogen #2: Upon infection, the virus rapidly advances

Smallpox within the body
By 14th day of infection, large amounts
of virus will be present in kidneys,
liver, spleen, lymph nodes, and bone
marrow
Host immune response is often relatively
unsuccessful in defeating smallpox
T-cells and B-cells often unsuccessful
smallpox-virus.jpg as smallpox results in decreased
number of lymphocytes
Missing Pathogen #3: HIV
hiv-virus_0.jpg

What is HIV?

Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV, is a virus that attacks and

weakens the immune system
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or AIDS, is the most advanced
stage of HIV
While millions of people are living with HIV, most will not progress to
AIDS due to antiretroviral treatment
Missing Pathogen #3: HIV
hiv-virus_0.jpg

HIV can be transmitted through sexual intercourse, breastfeeding, or

sharing equipment previously used
Once inside the body, HIV attacks and destroys CD4 cells (T-helper cells),
which play a significant role in the immune system
The reason HIV is so serious is that it replicates itself in the bodys
immune cells
HIV is treated with a combination of three or four antiretroviral drugs
These prevent the amount of HIV in the body and damage to the immune
system
Missing Pathogen #3: HIV
hiv-virus_0.jpg

The Science of HIV

The HIV virus is diploid and contains 2 plus-stranded RNA copies of its genome
Its genome has 9,749 nucleotides and the RNA genome encodes at least 9
proteins, including Gag, Pol, Env, Tat, Rev, Nef, Vif, Vpu, and Vpr
Three of these (Gag, Pol, Env) contain the information necessary to make
structural proteins for new virus particles
The others code for proteins that allow HIV to infect a cell, produce new
copies of virus, and cause disease
 Missing Pathogen #3: HIV
hiv-virus_0.jpg

The Science of HIV (continued)

HIV particles are too small to be seen through an ordinary microscope - can only be
seen with an electron microscope
It is an enveloped RNA virus
The surface of HIV consists of fatty material called the viral envelope and spikes,
made of proteins gp120 and gp41, which project out of the viral envelope
The viral core is rod-shaped and contains three enzymes necessary for HIV
replication: reverse transcriptase, integrase, and protease
 Missing Pathogen #3: HIV
hiv-virus_0.jpg

The Science of HIV (continued)

The core also contains HIVs genetic material

2 strands of identical RNA
HIV Replication
HIV infects living organism, membranes of virus and host cell fuse, viral DNA and
reverse transcriptase enter hosts cytoplasm
Reverse transcriptase copies viral RNA to DNA, viral DNA incorporated into host as
provirus
Transcription of viral proteins: viral RNA transcribed, viral particles bud out of host cells
The science of the
immune system
The Immune System
The immune system is the system of specialized cells
and organs that protect an organism from outside
biological influences, such as bacterial and viral
infections, as well as cancer cells and foreign
substances.
The Immune System
The three main tasks of the
immune system:
Neutralizing pathogens that
have entered the body and
removing them
Recognizing and neutralizing
harmful environmental
substances
Fighting against the bodys
self cells that have changed Immune-System.jpg

due to an illness
Science of the Immune System
It is vital for the immune system to be able to recognize self and
non-self cells, organisms, and substances, so that it does not attack
normal, healthy body cells
Non-self substances, called antigens, are proteins on the surfaces of
bacteria, fungi, and viruses that essentially act as tags on cells
When an antigen binds to specific cell receptors, a reaction occurs, the
body recognizes the non-self organism, and begins its defense

2ba56020bc6fc0fc11bcb04e95b24d41.jpg
Science of the Immune System
The bodys self cells also have surface
proteins that act as tags
T-cells and macrophages contain
surface proteins that bind with these
proteins
These are known as immune
checkpoint proteins - if they bind,
the immune cells will not attack the
self cell
If the body is unable to identify cells
CDR776560-750.jpg
of its own body as self-cells, it is
known as an autoimmune reaction
Science of the Immune System
There are two parts to the immune system
The innate and the adaptive
The innate, or evolutionary, immune system
provides general defense against pathogens
Also known as the nonspecific immune system
Mostly fights bacterial infections
The adaptive immune system targets specific
agents
Adapts and changes over time
The innate and adaptive immune systems work
obj2slice_r1_c2.gif
together and are closely connected
The science of
DNA fingerprinting
and ELISA test
 Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay
ELISA Test Used to test for antibodies of a disease
Antibodies are present after a person has contracted
and fought off a particular disease.
These antibodies allow cells to recognise the disease
and fight it off.
A positive result means that antibodies for the
particular disease are present
A negative result means that the antibodies for
a particular disease are not present

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/3
16230.php
 1. The sample in question is added to a well.
Indirect 2. The well is washed with a buffer.
ELISA Test 3. The primary antigen is added to the well.
4. The well is washed again with a buffer.
5. The Secondary antibody is added to the well.
6. The well is washed.
7. The enzyme is added to the well.
a. If there are the corresponding antigens in the sample,
the fluid in the well will change color
b. If there are no corresponding antigens in the sample,
the color of the fluid will remain unchanged.

http://www.elisa-antibody.com/ELISA-Introducti
on/ELISA-types/indirect-elisa
DNA Fingerprinting This test is used to determine
whose DNA matches the DNA
found at a crime scene.
Every person's DNA fingerprint
is unique to them
For a suspect's DNA fingerprint
to match the DNA found that
the crime scene, each bar must
match in thickness, darkness
and location in the gel.
The darkness of the bar
depends on the number of
copies ot STR a person has

https://www.quora.com/Why-does-the-thickness-of-DNA-finger
printing-bands-differ
 1. Each DNA sample is cut into Short Tandem
DNA Repeat sections and dyed.
Fingerprinting 2. The dyed DNA is inserted into a gel sheet.
3. The gel sheet is then put in an electrophoresis
machine
a. This uses adn electrical current to separate out the
STRs by size. The smaller the STR, the farther down it
moves. The more of the same STR, the darker the line
is.
4. The DNA FIngerprints are then compared to the
DNA found at the crime scene.
For additional information on DNA Fingerprinting
The Science of Hair
Analysis
Hair Analysis

The hair can be analyzed by determining the

chemical makeup of the hair or extracting DNA
from the hair follicle.

Hair can also be analyzed through the use of a

microscope or by simply comparing two or more
hairs against one another.
 Microscopic hair analysis is a way to match up
Microscopic two pieces of hair.
Hair Analysis an individuals hair contain distinguishable
features that allowed for exclusions and
matches of people.
By comparing two hairs under a microscope, an
expert is able to tell if the source was the same.

Properties of hair: h//youtu.be/lImuVTu93lU

The Science of
Fingerprints
 A persons fingerprints do not change over time.
Fingerprints The friction ridges which create fingerprints are
formed while inside the womb and grow
proportionally as the baby grows.
Permanent scarring is the only way a fingerprint
can change.
In addition, fingerprints are unique to an
individual.
 There are three types of fingerprints that can be found:
Types of Latent
Patent
fingerprints Plastic
Latent: made of the sweat and oil on the skins surface. This
type of fingerprint is invisible to the naked eye and requires
additional processing in order to be seen.
Patent fingerprints can be made by blood, grease, ink, or dirt.
This type of fingerprint is easily visible to the human eye.
Plastic fingerprints are three-dimensional impressions and can
be made by pressing your fingers in fresh paint, wax, soap, or
tar.
 During analysis, examiners determine whether
Fingerprint there is enough information present in the print
analysis to be used for identification.
This includes determining class and individual
characteristics for the unknown print. Class
characteristics are the characteristics that
narrow the print down to a group but not an
individual
The three fingerprint class types are arches,
loops, and whorls.
Individual characteristics are those
characteristics that are unique to an individual.
They are tiny irregularities that appear within
the friction ridges
Works Cited
https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/tuberculosis-tb

https://www.cdc.gov/smallpox/

https://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Smallpox_Virus

https://www.avert.org/professionals/hiv-science/overview

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0072548/

http://www.elisa-antibody.com/ELISA-Introduction/ELISA-types/indirect-elisa

http://allaboutdnafingerprinting.weebly.com/steps-of-dna-fingerprinting.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_analysis#Microscopic_hair_analysis_in_forensics