Molecular Taxonomical Tools

Molecular biology has given taxonomy tools that examine an organism's DNA and RNA directly, offering far greater accuracy and authenticity than comparing outward form alone. DNA barcoding uses a short, standardised genetic marker in an organism's DNA to identify its species, functioning much like a barcode for species identity. DNA hybridization measures the degree of genetic similarity between two pools of DNA sequences by testing how readily single strands from each will bind to one another — greater similarity produces stronger binding.

DNA fingerprinting identifies a specific individual from a DNA sample by examining unique, individual-specific patterns within that DNA — a technique well known from forensic science but equally valuable in taxonomy for distinguishing closely related individuals or populations. Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) analysis detects differences between otherwise matching (homologous) DNA sequences by cutting the DNA with specific enzymes: sequence differences change where the DNA gets cut, producing different-length fragments that reveal genetic variation. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) sequencing amplifies a specific gene, or portion of a gene, into millions of copies — essential because most molecular techniques need far more DNA than can be extracted directly from a small biological s …