When you were a kid, did you ever have spitting competitions? I know I did. I wanted to spit just like they did in the movies or in the dugout of the major leagues. I knew though, I would get a serious scolding if my mom caught me. It’s bad manners to spit.

But now I have a good excuse to do just that and it’s in the name of DNA. A home DNA test can sound intimidating but it’s as easy as fulfilling that childhood dream of spitting like you belong in the major leagues.  Let me explain how it works.

1. The Spitting Part

Once you order an Instant Chemistry kit, a package with the test will arrive at your home that contains a very scientific-looking spit cup. Now is your chance, spit into the cup until your reach the “fill” mark. Don’t worry, it’s really not too much spit.

Your saliva contains your DNA but it needs to be preserved.  A liquid released when you close the spit cup does just that! Screw on the cap provided and it will be preserved for shipping and processing.

2. The Lab Part

Once you’ve sealed your home DNA test in the shipping package, you’ll send it via mail to our “molecular biology lab”. Yep, we’re getting sciency now.

Our lab uses molecular biology techniques to purify your DNA from your saliva and provide you with information about your Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) genes and your serotonin transporter gene, more scientifically called SLC6A4.

We use a technique called Polymerase Chain Reaction, more commonly called PCR to make your DNA visible to the naked eye. When you spit, you didn’t see your DNA right? That’s because it is so small we can’t even see it. However, PCR makes lots of copies of small regions of your DNA, (in our case, HLA and SLC6A4) making it visible to the naked eye.

In one example, your DNA appears as bright “bands” on a dark background. The location of the band on the image provides the information which is uniquely you.

3. The Fun Part – Next to Spitting, of Course

It’s time to receive your results! After completing your first home DNA test, it’s time to unveil the ‘uniquely you’ set of genes that you’ve carried all of your life. We know the DNA is there, but what are our unique genes?

That’s the fun part to find out. It’s like a secret we’ve carried all our life finally being revealed.

Instant Chemistry will send you a special report where you can access your ‘uniquely you’ information. Although we can’t tell you about all your genes – you have about 24,000 of them – we can tell you about ones that have been strongly linked to relationship satisfaction – HLA and SLC6A4 – and all it takes is spitting like you belong in the major leagues!

If you’re ready to take on the adventure, order a kit here. Have any questions about our processes? Ask them in the comments below!

Photo source: abcnews.com