DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid , or DNA , is the building block of most carbon - based lifeform s . It is the blueprint for a living organism and encodes amino acid s for polypeptide s which form protein s , which , when properly sequenced , form ular pathways that together form the physical structure and anatomical characteristics of an organic lifeform . If DNA is changed in some way , the host organism responds to the change by re - making itself in the form specified by the new DNA , often extremely rapidly . DNA samples were collected from all Vulcan children at birth and kept on file by the Vulcan government . ( ) By matching DNA gene types , Starfleet was able to identify Jono as Jeremiah Rossa . ( ) In 2256 , Klingon s harvested Lieutenant Ash Tyler ' s DNA in order to reconstruct his consciousness and rebuild his memory in preparation for graft ing with Voq ' s psyche in the " choH ' a ' " . ( ) In the mid - 2250s , Captain injected Barlow with the DNA of the Comtaxan parasite , which was known to not " mix well " with Human DNA . The injection resulted in the brutal vaporization of Barlow . ( ) In 2367 , Ishara Yar offered to have her DNA tested as a means of proving that she was Lieutenant Natasha Yar ' s sister . The test was administered by Doctor Beverly Crusher and proved that her claim was true . ( ) In 2369 , when Lieutenant Reginald Barclay was exposed to a high - energy plasma field in a transporter field , Dr . Crusher wanted to examine him using a base pair correlation to see if there was any sign of breakdown in his DNA . ( ) Also in 2369 , Dr . Crusher investigated the cause of the age reversion of four crew members . She explained that unlike DNA , which never changed , RVN ( rybo - viroxic - nucleic ) took on additional varoxic sequences during puberty . ( ) That same year , following clues developed by his mentor , Richard Galen , Jean - Luc Picard discovered evidence that an ancient race of humanoids had seeded many planets with their DNA billions of years earlier . The evidence suggested that Human s , Romulan s , Klingon s , Cardassian s , and others may have far more in common than previously believed . ( ) Changeling s had DNA in their morphogenic matrix . In 2369 , Constable Odo noted that traces of his DNA had been left at the scene of Ibudan ' s murder on Deep Space 9 , intended to aid in framing him for the crime . ( ) In 2370 , a DNA test established that Rugal was the son of Kotan Pa ' Dar . ( ) The counter - insurgency program on Deep Space 9 employed a DNA scan to verify the identity of Gul Dukat , preventing Elim Garak from posing as him . ( ) DNA extracted from a male could be used to impregnate a female . In 2372 , Seska claimed she impregnated herself with DNA she had stolen from Commander Chakotay while he was her prisoner . ( ) The missile Cardassian ATR - 4107 ( " " Dreadnought " " ) used a DNA scan on anyone visiting it to establish their identity . ( ) Each cell of the DNA of a member of Species 8472 contained more than one hundred times the DNA of a Human cell , making them the most densely coded lifeform that The Doctor had ever seen . ( ) In 2374 , certain segments of the DNA of a number of crew were hyper - stimulated as part of the experiments by the Srivani , resulting in dangerous mutation s . ( ) In 2375 , Commander Valerie Archer ( secretly a member of Species 8472 in disguise ) shared a kiss with Commander Chakotay to obtain his DNA , which she was then able to analyze to prove that he was Human . ( ) The Kobali used an extensive process that involved altering DNA of the dead from other races to create new members of their species . ( ) A strand of DNA , presumably from an Earth species was seen in the resetting time stream after the end of the Temporal Cold War . ( ) Background information . As DNA research was relatively new in the 1960s ( DNA structure was first established in 1953 with the first notable DNA sequencing research conducted in 1973 ) , has no mention of this rather significant piece of medical science , even though DNA would have been well known in the 2260s according to " Star Trek " canon . It is also for this reason that " Original Series " episodes depended on other medical methods , whereas DNA samples would have been the preferred choice . Such examples include the voice print identification of Kodos , seen in , and a reference to " medical plates " during the examination of Peter Kirk in .