Genetics 2

The article is involving the exhumation of an artist who died twenty-eight years ago by the name Dali. Dali should be exhumed to extract his DNA from his remains to be compared to a lady’s DNA by the name Pilar Abel. It is being alleged that Pilar might have been the daughter of the late artist, Dali. And the confirmation the DNA will entitle her to the inheritance of some of Dali’s properties. The exhumation has followed a court order from Madrid’s judge. The previous test that was done on the skin and hairs of the artist concerning the same mission did not bear any fruits, and therefore, a new method of DNA extraction had been proposed by the scientist who was specialized in the extraction of the DNA from the remains (Metcalfe np). The scientist who is known as Moore explains some of the challenges that are likely to be encountered when conducting the extraction and some of them were the limited DNA available since most of the fleshy parts of the dead shall have disappeared depending on the environmental condition where Dali was buried. Moore also had an alternative way in which the DNA could be extracted effectively from the remains of the dead. The proposal that Moore made was the use of bones of Dali or the use of his teeth. The scientist preferred the teeth because of the enamel that acts as a protective layer of the inner materials that can be used for the test. Also, Moore explained that due to the long time that the Dali has taken in the grave, it would be easier to teeth from the jaw with limited force because they shall have been loosened from their sockets.

According to Moore’s explanation, even if there is a successful extraction of Dali’s DNA from remains, it would not match that which is obtained from the body of a living individual in totality. And for that matter, in case Pilar is a real daughter to Dali, their DNA will not resemble each other 100% due to the deviation of the segregation that has occurred on Dali’s DNA after the death and the decomposition of his body parts. Moore gave the explanation concerning the deterioration in the DNA of the dead with time since she had been involved in the extraction of similar DNA process from the soldiers who were given mass burial and now needed to be buried afresh with dignity (Metcalfe np). Similarly, according to Moore’s explanation, exhuming of the remains of the dead was to be conducted with a lot of care to avoid the destruction of the remains that contain the DNA to be extracted.
Primary Literature
The article is based on the finding report in the primary literature. The information that is provided by Victoria Moore is first-hand information since she is responsible for the extraction of the DNA from the carcass of the dead. Moore has conducted this act before, and she is the same person who gives the information and how it should be done. The fact that the scientist is being interviewed directly, the individuals know what exactly to expect when they use the bones that she has mentioned to be used in the extraction of Dali’s DNA as well as the possible results that should be expected just in case they use the fleshy body remains of the dead are used to conduct the DNA (Metcalfe np). The other factor that indicates that the report is sourced from the primary literature is the experience that Moore has undergone through as the extraction of the DNA from the dead is concerned. And also Moore informs the interviewers concerning the report of the database of the soldiers that they extracted their DNA from the teeth remains and trying to relate that scenario they are going through to that which is yet to occur to Dali’s remains.
Article implication
The article deals with the new method that can be used by several scientists to extract the DNA from the dead especially those that have taken several years. And in most case, they don’t have the fleshy body parts that can be extracted to check for their DNAs. According to the article, however, it is a way of discovering the family origin of those who were in mass killing and later got involved in mass burial as well as those who have issues concerning the distribution of the properties of the dead after a very long period. It can, therefore, be used as a way of settling family disputes. Since Victoria Moore has discovered the use of the teeth as a way of extracting the DNA from the carcass of the dead, the discovery has a limitation that the doctors in the field of medicine should focus their research on (Metcalfe np). For instance, since not all the DNAs can be found within the teeth of the dead as it is in the living, the field of medicine should research on how to acquire the total DNA from the carcass of the dead and also if possible, the best part of the body (carcass) that can be used to obtain a better result concerning the remains’ DNA.
Work Cited
Metcalfe, Tom. “Exhuming Salvador Dalí: Paternity Suit Leads To Artist’s Grave.” Live Science. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Jan. 2018.