What is the difference between Minisatellites and microsatellites?
Minisatellite is a section of highly repeated DNA that consists of a series of a repeating sequence composed of 10 to 100 base pairs. Microsatellite is a section of repetitive DNA that consists of short repeating sequences composed of 1 to 9 base pairs.
How are microsatellites inherited?
Microsatellite markers are inherited from both parents, making them useful for parentage analysis (think paternity testing) and population genetic studies. If a microsatellite locus is polymorphic, it means that there is more than one potential allele at a single locus (a specific marker site).
What does microsatellite mean in genetics?
Listen to pronunciation. (MY-kroh-SA-teh-lite) Repetitive segments of DNA scattered throughout the genome in noncoding regions between genes or within genes (introns).
What is the difference between a STR and a VNTR?
The key difference between VNTR and STR is the number of nucleotides in a repeating sequence. Repeating units of VNTR consists of 10 to 100 of nucleotides while repeating unit of STR consists of 2 to 13 nucleotides. VNTR and STR are used widely in forensic studies.
What are SSRs in genetics?
Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) or microsatellites are DNA stretches consisting of short, tandemly repeated di-, tri-, tetra-or penta-nucleotide motifs. The amplicons from different genotypes frequently show length polymorphisms due to allelic variation of the number of repeat motifs in the microsatellite.
Are microsatellites useful?
Microsatellites are useful markers at a wide range of scales of analysis. Until recently, they were the most important tool in mapping genomes — such as the widely publicized mapping of the human genome. They serve a role in biomedical diagnosis as markers for certain disease conditions.
What is the purpose of a microsatellite?
Microsatellite sequences are repetitive DNA sequences usually several base pairs in length. Microsatellite sequences are composed of non-coding DNA and are not parts of genes. They are used as genetic markers to follow the inheritance of genes in families.