Life
23 January 2013
SO ROMANTIC… when you kiss your partner passionately, not only do you exchange bacteria and mucus, you also impart some of your genetic code. No matter how fleeting the encounter, the DNA will hang around in their mouth for at least an hour. This means that women’s saliva could contain evidence of unwanted attention in cases of assault, or even telltale signs of infidelity.
Natália Kamodyová and her colleagues at Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia, recruited 12 couples who agreed to kiss each other passionately for at least 2 minutes. Afterwards, saliva samples were collected from the women at 5, 10, 30 and 60-minute intervals. Because Kamodyová’s method relies on detection of the Y chromosome, it can only be used to identify a man’s DNA in a woman’s saliva.
The results show that the man’s DNA was still present and could be detected through amplification after at least an hour, and possibly longer. “We’ve shown it’s possible to get a full profile, which could be useful in crime investigation to pinpoint the possible perpetrator among suspects or exclude those innocent,” says Kamodyová. Her team is investigating whether the DNA survives longer than an hour and whether it’s obtainable from the mouths of women who have died (Forensic Science International: Genetics, DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2012.07.007).
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Introduction
As an expert in genetics and biology, I can provide you with information related to the concepts mentioned in the article you shared. The article discusses how kissing can lead to the exchange of genetic material, specifically DNA, between partners. This genetic material can be detected in saliva samples and may have implications in forensic investigations and detecting infidelity.
DNA Exchange through Kissing
When you kiss your partner passionately, you not only exchange bacteria and mucus but also genetic material in the form of DNA. The DNA from one person can be detected in the saliva of their partner for at least an hour after the kiss This phenomenon has been studied by Natália Kamodyová and her colleagues at Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. They conducted a study with 12 couples who kissed each other passionately for at least 2 minutes. Saliva samples were collected from the women at different time intervals after the kiss, and the presence of the man's DNA was detected through amplification.
Forensic Applications
The presence of DNA in saliva samples after kissing has potential applications in forensic investigations. Kamodyová's research suggests that it is possible to obtain a full DNA profile from the saliva, which could be useful in crime investigations. This method can help pinpoint the possible perpetrator among suspects or exclude innocent individuals By analyzing the DNA present in a woman's saliva, it may be possible to gather evidence of unwanted attention in cases of assault or even detect signs of infidelity.
Further Research
While the study conducted by Kamodyová and her team demonstrated that the man's DNA can be detected in a woman's saliva for at least an hour, further research is needed to determine if the DNA survives longer than that. Additionally, the researchers are investigating whether it is possible to obtain DNA from the mouths of deceased women.
In conclusion, kissing can lead to the exchange of genetic material, including DNA, between partners. This genetic material can be detected in saliva samples and may have implications in forensic investigations and detecting infidelity. The research conducted by Kamodyová and her team provides valuable insights into this phenomenon, but further studies are needed to explore its full potential.
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