DNA is supposed to have all the info that makes one who and what they are, right? It is your DNA (and certain environmental factors) that decides your sex, your hair color, eye color, height, etc... So here's my question: In a futuristic Sci-Fi setting, does it make sense to have the technology to look at someone's DNA and see what sort of physical properties that individual should have? Could someone look at a crime scene, find DNA evidence, and find that their suspect (barring cosmetic surgery, hair dye, etc) is roughly 5'10", black hair, wide nose, etc? Or is there an inherent flaw that would prevent this, regardless of future leaps in technology? Does DNA contain that much (and that specific) information?
It can, but if one looks at DNA alone then there are two main variables one must account for: 1) Epigenetic regulation of gene expression 2) Possible body modifications done by the person during his or her life, as well as possibly body-altering injuries.
gene expression is big! you can right now assume looking at my gene code that I'm fully deaf! if id died 5 years ago, they would if just looking at DNA been looking for families missing a deaf female likely .... my family thought i was full hearing. that is why genetic testing of infants would be a big horrid eugenic mess...assumption.
Like Deaf said, the genome is big. Like, really really big. It took years for the Human Genome project to take complete fruition. Although with computers capable enough then your question would be probable. Just not now. Or for awhile.
don't forget that while we have most of DNA figure out, there are still regions that scientists STILL haven't figure out what they do and how they contribute to life or evolutionary purpose. and technically, from one of the guest speakers in my class, forensic science only look at certain number of locis in some of the chromosomes out of human 23 chromosomes in order to match the suspects. Additionally, that technology PROBABLY could be developing right now, but way buried deep in the news or not even published yet haha. also, with genes, it's complicated. You have inherit and innate phenotype that comes with the person like hair color, eye color, skin tone, etc., and then you have genes that respond based on environment like the food you eat, the climate, food allergy, pollen allergy, immunity, etc. @_@ ---------- Post added 11th Feb 2013 at 10:07 PM ---------- um, i think DNA sequencing of human or other organisms for that matter, nowadays don't take that long.
In the future, yes. Currently, no. To identify unique traits they would only have to go over .02% of a persons genome as it is only that .02% that makes each and every one of us unique. In a future in which they can rapidly check and identify the variable sequences it would be possible to determine physical traits from the alleles present.
