Use of Plant DNA Marks New Era in Tracking Fraudulence and Theft

STONY BROOK, N.Y., Nov. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The modern era in which technology allows us to take human tissue, extract its DNA and evaluate it for forensic purposes, has had a huge impact on many aspects of our lives. Aside from spawning numerous TV shows with DNA evidence as their central focus, in the criminal justice system DNA enables us to find and prosecute the guilty and, in some cases, exonerate the wrongly accused. On the social front, DNA has been widely used for genetic testing, especially to prove paternity.

Applied DNA Sciences, a provider of DNA-based anti-counterfeiting technology and product authentication solutions, has taken plant DNA and adapted it to serve as a new form of security for crime-stopping purposes in both civilian and military arenas. The company's patented SigNature^® DNA is made with full double-stranded DNA, not the synthetic single-strand kind in use elsewhere. The most widespread use of the SigNature DNA platform is in detecting counterfeit products. Due to its unique configuration, it can't be removed and is extremely cost-effective. The formulation is so reliable that the DNA mark won't wash off, even if subjected to strong industrial chemical treatments.

SigNature DNA can be safely applied to fabrics, plastics, metals, narcotics and product packaging. This means that manufacturers can imprint the DNA on everything from airplane, tank and automotive parts to leather purses, jewelry, cellphones and currency. Notorious bank robber Willy Sutton would have been caught robbing banks a lot sooner with SigNature DNA embedded in the bills, instead of enjoying a 40-year criminal career before he was finally caught.

The company's proprietary DNA technology has been tested under the harshest possible conditions -- including UV radiation, extreme heat and cold, and vibrations -- and proven highly resistant to all of them. Plus only a tiny amount of DNA is necessary to mark items because DNA in its natural form is the most dense information carrier known. DNA's encoding capacity per gram is roughly equal to the memory power of 100 billion DVDs. And unlike a computer or external hard drive, SigNature DNA can last for a long time, never becoming outdated or obsolete. Another impressive feature of SigNature DNA is that its mark can withstand at least 10 different authentications during the lifetime of each encoded product. This means that items will never need to be re-encoded.

James A. Hayward, President and CEO of Applied DNA Sciences, notes, "We could not be more delighted to have successfully 'partnered' with Mother Nature in this important area, and now be able to offer our plant DNA-based technology to companies, banks and armed-forces entities that rightfully want and need to protect their products as well as our national security."

To learn more, visit www.adnas.com, who paid for the writing and dissemination of this release.

Contact:  Enrique Briz, Dian Griesel Int'l  212.825.3210

SOURCE Applied DNA Sciences