Marker: 1. A genetic marker is a gene that has been mapped and can be identified. 2. A molecular weight marker is a DNA fragment of known size used as a comparison standard in estimating the size of a DNA fragment of unknown size.
Mean Probability of Exclusion: The probability that a single genetic system will exclude a nonfather from paternity prior to testing, i.e., independent of the blood types of the trio tested.
Mediation: An informal, voluntary process allowing parties to work with a neutral third party (the “mediator”) to develop a parenting and support agreement.
Membrane: The solid support, usually nylon membrane, to which the DNA is transferred and affixed during the Southern blotting process.
Microgram: One millionth of a gram.
Milliliter: One thousandth of a liter, the same as a cc or cubic centimeter.
Mitochondria: Organelles that exist inside cells and that contain a small amount of DNA (16,000 bp). A small region of the mitochondrial DNA varies from person to person. Because a cell may contain many thousands of mitochondria there are correspondingly many more copies of the mitochondrial DNA available for testing. molecular weight or size marker. See marker.
Molecular Biology: A modern branch of biology that attempts to explain biological phenomena in molecular terms. Most work in molecular biology is concerned with or uses genetic techniques.
Molecule: The smallest physical unit of a chemical compound, the defined collection of atoms bound together in a specific fashion.
Monomorphic Probe: A DNA probe that will detect a DNA fragment that is the same size in everyone. Monomorphic probes are used to detect band shifting.
Motion: A written request asking or “moving” the court to grant a temporary order, or rule on a legal matter.
Multilocus Probe: The original Jefferys process of simultaneously detecting up to ten or fifteen genetic loci simultaneously. Because of technical problems with this method it has been supplanted in forensic science by the single locus probe method.
Mutation: Any inheritable changes in the DNA sequence that occurs during reproduction or cell division.
