What are microsatellites in DNA?

What are microsatellites in DNA?

Microsatellite, as related to genomics, refers to a short segment of DNA, usually one to six or more base pairs in length, that is repeated multiple times in succession at a particular genomic location. These DNA sequences are typically non-coding.

Why are microsatellites used in DNA profiling?

Microsatellites in non-coding regions may not have any specific function, and therefore might not be selected against; this allows them to accumulate mutations unhindered over the generations and gives rise to variability that can be used for DNA fingerprinting and identification purposes.

How are microsatellites used in DNA fingerprinting?

Microsatellites or STRs are repetitive co-dominant sequences of 2–6 bp of DNA that are present throughout the entire genome. They are often used for identification or fingerprinting of DNA. Microsatellites are amplified by PCR using fluorescently labeled primers and the amplicons are separated using CE.

What is the role of microsatellite?

Microsatellite repeat DNA is best known for its length mutability, which is implicated in several neurological diseases and cancers, and often exploited as a genetic marker. Less well-known is the body of work exploring the widespread and surprisingly diverse functional roles of microsatellites.

Why are microsatellites useful?

Microsatellites provide data suitable for phylogeographic studies that seek to explain the concordant biogeographic and genetic histories of the floras and faunas of large-scale regions. They are also useful for fine-scale phylogenies — up to the level of closely related species.

What does microsatellite data tell us?

Where does microsatellite DNA present in the chromosome?

Explanation: Microsatellite DNA is less than 150bp and found in a dispersed condition all over the chromosome.

What is microsatellite of a cell?

Microsatellites are short, repeated sequences of DNA. Microsatellite instability-high cancer cells may have a defect in the ability to correct mistakes that occur when DNA is copied in the cell.