What is unique about an individual's DNA profiling?

Study for the SACE Stage 2 Biology Exam. Enhance your understanding with quizzes, interactive flashcards, and detailed explanations. Be fully prepared for your exam success!

An individual's DNA profiling is unique because it is based on short tandem repeats (STRs), which are specific sequences of DNA that can vary greatly among individuals. These STRs are regions of non-coding DNA that tend to have variations due to mutations, leading to different patterns of STR lengths among different people. This variability makes STRs highly useful for forensic analysis and personal identification, as the likelihood of two individuals having identical STR profiles is extremely low, except in the case of identical twins.

The other options do not accurately reflect the nature of DNA profiling. The idea that DNA profiling is identical for every person is incorrect since each individual (apart from identical twins) has unique STR patterns. The assertion that it only reflects coding DNA sequences overlooks the crucial role of non-coding regions, such as STRs, in profiling. Lastly, claiming that DNA profiling is unchangeable over a lifetime does not account for rare mutations that can occur, leading to potential changes in the STR regions over time.

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