Hybridization techniques help perform DNA analysis on test samples. There are different hybridization techniques, such as southern hybridization and in-situ hybridization. These sorts of techniques help identify specific DNA fragments.
Southern Hybridization
The southern hybridization technique helps identify, from many samples of DNA fragments, a fragment of DNA that contains a specific nucleotide sequence. This technique uses a restriction enzyme to fragment the DNA.
In-Situ Hybridization
In-situ hybridization uses a complement of chromosomes that are arrested at metaphase within a cell. The chromosomes are partially denatured to aid the analysis.
Uses
These sorts of DNA analysis techniques help in projects such as mapping the human genome. Such techniques led scientists to the discovery of the sequence of the human telomere. This also led to the finding that all vertebrates share the same telomeric sequence. A telomere is a sequence at the ends of a DNA molecule that helps protect the DNA.
