Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Extended contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Editors and contributors
- A computational micro primer
- PART I Genomes
- 1 Identifying the genetic basis of disease
- 2 Pattern identification in a haplotype block
- 3 Genome reconstruction: a puzzle with a billion pieces
- 4 Dynamic programming: one algorithmic key for many biological locks
- 5 Measuring evidence: who's your daddy?
- PART II Gene Transcription and Regulation
- PART III Evolution
- PART IV Phylogeny
- PART V Regulatory Networks
- REFERENCES
- Glossary
- Index
5 - Measuring evidence: who's your daddy?
from PART I - Genomes
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Extended contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Editors and contributors
- A computational micro primer
- PART I Genomes
- 1 Identifying the genetic basis of disease
- 2 Pattern identification in a haplotype block
- 3 Genome reconstruction: a puzzle with a billion pieces
- 4 Dynamic programming: one algorithmic key for many biological locks
- 5 Measuring evidence: who's your daddy?
- PART II Gene Transcription and Regulation
- PART III Evolution
- PART IV Phylogeny
- PART V Regulatory Networks
- REFERENCES
- Glossary
- Index
Summary
Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are widely used as a genetic “fingerprint” for forensic tests and other genetic screening. For example, they can be used to measure evidence for paternity. To understand how scientists measure the strength of such evidence, we introduce basic principles of statistical inference using Bayes' Law, and apply them to simple genetics examples and the more challenging case of paternity testing. But first, just to make it personal, Maury and I have a little revelation for you …
Welcome to the Maury Povich Show!
On camera, your mom just told you that your dad, Bob, isn't your real dad! And Maury has just introduced you to the two men who both claim to be your father: Rocco, an aging biker dude with lots of tatoos; and Jacques, a chef in whose restaurant your mom waitressed 18 years ago. But is either of them actually your father? Once again it's time to announce the results of a paternity test LIVE on the Maury Povich Show! But between your tears (“But what about Dad … er, my ex-Dad …”), your anger (“how could you do this to me …”), and your intellectual curiosity (“Does this mean I can get the 8 course tasting menu at Chez Jacques for free?”), the science-nerd part of your mind is wondering exactly how paternity tests work, and how Maury can really claim to have so many decimal places of confidence regarding the result.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Bioinformatics for Biologists , pp. 93 - 108Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2011