DNA analysis in human bone and other specimens of forensic interest: PCR typing and testing

✍ Scribed by Henry C. Lee; G. Ruano; E.M. Pagliaro; Karen M. Berka; R.E. Gaensslen

• Publisher: Elsevier
• Year: 1991
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 516 KB
• Volume: 31
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0015-7368
• DOI: 10.1016/s0015-7368(91)73142-3

✦ Synopsis

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedures that enable the faithful replication of millions of copies of a specific DNA sequence in vitro have been described and refined in recent years [I]. PCR techniques have been used in a variety of genetic and clinical diagnostic applications, including evolutionary studies, cloning and sequencing, detection of sickle cell anaemia genes, detection of human papilloma virus, HIV and other retroviruses. Because many specimens submitted for forensic DNA analysis contain limited quantities of DNA and the DNA in these specimen may be degraded, RFLP analysis is not always possible. This limitation has prompted the interest of forensic scientists in the applicability of PCR typing procedures that may be applicable to small and/or degraded specimens. PCR techniques may be applied to forensic identification problems using specific primers for the amplification of coding loci, variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) loci, or sequences specific for X and/or Y chromosomes that can serve as sex markers. The most refined PCR procedure applicable to forensic identification thus far utilized specific primers and allele-specific oligonucleotide probes to detect genotypes at the HLA-DQ, locus [2-41. HLA-DQ, typing techniques have been applied to blood and seminal stains [5] and to hair roots [6].