Repetitive DNA and satellite DNA: DNA fingerprinting involves identifying differences in some specific regions in DNA sequence called as repetitive DNA, because in these sequences, a small stretch of DNA is repeated many times. These repetitive DNA are separated from bulk genomic DNA as different peaks during density gradient centrifugation. The bulk DNA forms a major peak and the other small peaks are referred to as satellite DNA.

Repetitive DNA and satellite DNA

Repetitive DNA is the non-coding sequence of DNA that contains segments that are repeated several times in the genome of an individual. The repetitive DNA sequences are called variable number of tandem repeats that are dispersed throughout the genome and constitute hypervariable dispersed repetitive sequences.

Satellite DNA are DNA sequences that contain highly repetitive DNA. Satellite DNA is a type of repetitive DNA and it classified into minisatellites, microsatellites and minivariant repeats, based on the number of repetitive units, the number of base pairs in each unit and the base composition of the units.

Difference between Repetitive DNA and satellite DNA

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By Team Learning Mantras