Restriction fragment length polymorphism
- Pronunciation
- /re-stric-shun frag-ment length pol-ee-mor-fiz-um/
- Category
- Molecular Biology
- Singular
- Restriction fragment length polymorphism
- Plural
- Restriction fragment length polymorphisms
Definition
A technique used to differentiate between individuals or populations based on variations in the lengths of DNA fragments generated by restriction enzyme digestion.
Etymology
Example
Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis was used to distinguish between strains of a particular insect species.
Related Terms
- Restriction enzymes
- DNA fingerprinting
Usage Notes
RFLP analysis requires prior knowledge of the DNA sequence being analyzed.