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Name: Jelena
Status: student
Grade: other
Location: CA
Country: USA
Date: Summer 2012
Question:
Does DNA starts to degrade at 85`C in a way to lose its characteristics needed for fragment characterization? Is DNA degraded after exposure to that temperature in a way which makes further forensic analysis impossible?


Replies:
DNA denatures at 85C -- meaning the helices come apart. It does not mean the DNA comes apart completely (although some other types of breakdown can occur as well). Thus, it can still be analyzed by PCR or other methods.

Hope this helps, Burr


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