New alleles and mutational events at 14 STR loci from different German populations

The molecular origin of DNA mutations and the mutation rates were analyzed at 14 short tandem repeat (STR) loci with samples from trio cases derived from 10 different German population samples. STR loci comprised of D2S1360, D3S1744, D4S2366, D5S2500, D6S474, D7S1517, D8S1132, D10S2325, D12S391, D18S51, D19S246, D20S480, D21S226, and D22S689. In a total of 488 meioses, 16 isolated genetic inconsistencies in 8 different STRs were observed, whereas no mutations were found at the other loci. The data of five mutations suggested the presence of silent or null alleles due to sequence variation in primer binding site. This could be confirmed for four suspected cases by the use of alternative primer sets and by DNA sequence analyses. Furthermore, this study revealed nine new allelic variants at five different loci.     

引物结合区点突变致D18S51等位基因丢失

目的确定D18S51基因座是否存在等位基因缺失及其原因。方法应用多个STR试剂盒检测检材以确定D18S51基因座的等位基因缺失情况;重新设计引物对所测D18S51基因座进行单独扩增,并对缺失的等位基因进行测序。结果该案例被检个体的D18S51侧翼序列引物结合区发生突变,致等位基因丢失。结论亲权鉴定时出现不符合孟德尔遗传规律现象,应使用多个试剂盒检测验证以避免父权误判。     

Polymorphism analysis of D19S253 locus in Guangzhou area population

Frequency data for STR system D19S253 were obtained from 105 unrelated individuals of Guangzhong population. PCR products were detected by horizontal native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and a total of 9 alleles were identified by side-by-side comparison with a sequenced allelic ladder prepared by ourselves. The observed genotype distribution conformed with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The high information content found in this system(heterozygosity rate was 0.8353, the mean exclusion chance was 0.7499, the discrimination power was 0.9211, the polymorphism information content was 0.8203) indicated it is a useful means in forensic routine casework both in criminal and paternity cases.     

6个五核苷酸STR基因座荧光复合扩增体系的建立

目的 构建6个五核苷酸STR基因座荧光复合扩增体系。方法筛选6个多态性程度较高的五核苷酸STR基因座D10S2325、Penta B、Penta W、PentaX、Penta D和PentaE,按照复合扩增引物设计要求,重新设计引物并标记荧光染料,经反复调整和优化,构建6基因座荧光复合扩增体系,并用该复合扩增体系对239名武汉汉族无关个体进行分型。结果6个五核苷酸STR基因座荧光复合扩增体系分型稳定,可重复性好,与各自相应单基因座分型结果完全一致;累积个人识别率达0．999999988,累积非父排除率达0．998063807。结论本文构建的6个五核苷酸STR基因座荧光复合扩增体系具有很高的法医学实用价值,可作为商品化试剂盒的有效补充。     

D8S384基因座的遗传多态性及其在法医物证检验中的应用

揭示人类自然群体中D8S384基因座的基因型频率,评估D8S384基因座在法医物证中的应用价值,以及建立D8S384基因座的分型方法。用不同基因型PCR产物混合的方法,制备了D8S384等位基因分型标准物,并按照国际法医血液遗传学会DNA委员会推荐的原则命名了等位基因。采用PCR扩增、电泳分析、银染显色的方法,调查了世界3大人种11个群体1103名个体的D8S384基因型。D8S384基因座共有8个等位基因,群体内基因型分布符合Hardy－Weinberg平衡,群体间基因型构成有显著性差异。利用群体数据估计了D8S384基因座的法医学理论应用价值,计算得出D8S384基因座的期望杂合度为0．704±0．014,个人识别机率为0．864。D8S384基因座是一个较好的法医学STR遗传标记。     

PowerPlex~(TM) 16体系在中国人群中罕见等位基因及其类型

目的 分析PowerPlexTM 16体系基因座在中国人群中的罕见等位基因及其类型。方法 应用PCR-STR和DNA序列分析技术,对4650个无关个体在15个STR基因座中的罕见等位基因进行检测。结果 在PowerPlexTM16体系中的D7S820、D16S539、Penta E基因座,检测到2种类型的罕见等位基因,而TH01、D21S11、D5S818、D13S317、Penta D、D8S1179、TPOX、FGA基因座检测出1种类型。其等位基因频率均较低(0.215‰-7.097‰)。结论 超出ladder范围的罕见等位基因序列比相邻等位基因增加(或减少)1个或数个重复单位,因碱基的插入或缺失的罕见等位基因出现在两等位基因之间。     

Frequencies of D8S384 alleles and genotypes in European, African-American, Chinese, and Japanese populations

D8S384 is a tetranucleotide tandem repeat locus. In order to evaluate the forensic validation of D8S384, the genotype distributions and allele frequencies in ten populations from three main ethnic groups were investigated, including Germans, Slovakians, African Americans, Japanese, and Chinese (Jilin, Guangzhou, Nanning, Hailaer, Dali, and Chengdu). A total of 1011 unrelated individuals, 41 pedigrees, 30 disputed paternity trios and three personal identification cases were analyzed for D8S384 by Amp-FLP technique. Many kinds of tissues, body fluids, secreta and stains have been tested. The alleles were determined by comparison with a human allele ladder. The results showed that D8S384 typing was both precise and reliable. There were eight alleles in these populations. The genotype distributions conformed to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium predictions. No mutation events were observed. With a maximum likelihood method, the mutation rate was indirectly estimated as 2.14 x 10(-5). The heterozygosity was 0.704 +/- 0.014 at D8S384 locus. All these results suggest that D8S384 locus is a useful marker for forensic identification and paternity analysis.     

Analysis of eight STR loci in two Hungarian populations

A collection of eight STR loci (D3S1358, FGA, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, D5S818, D13S317, D7S820) was used to generate allele frequency databases for two Hungarian population samples, Caucasians from the Budapest area and Romanies from Baranya county. During the analysis two intermediate sized alleles and a sequence variant allele were observed at the D7S820 locus. All three types of allelic variants were found to have modification (deletion, insertion, transversion) in the same block of a (T)(9) stretch located within the 3' flanking region of each allele, which may indicate a possible higher mutation rate of this (T)(9) block. For the loci D3S1358 and D7S820 the Romany population database showed departures from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The forensic efficiency values for the Romany population were slightly different from those found in the Hungarian Caucasian population. Comparing the allele frequency values by G-statistic, calculating the F(st) indices and with the pairwise comparisons of inter-population variance, the two Hungarian populations could be distinguished using data of the eight STR loci.     

Characterization of the variant allele 9.2 of Penta D locus

DNA profiles of forensic cases of Córdoba Province, Argentina, typed by PowerPlex 16 kit (Promega), have shown in the Penta D locus few samples with a variant allele migrating as an off ladder between alleles 9 and 10. In order to determine the molecular basis of the new variant allele, three samples were subject to polymerase chain reaction amplification of the Penta D locus by monoplex, and were further purified and sequenced. The sequence analysis revealed that the off ladder allele has ten repeats motifs AAAGA as allele 10, with three nucleotides (TAA) deletion in the 3' flanking region, 128 nucleotides after the last repeat. Therefore, the variant allele could be explained by a deletion of allele 10, and was designated 9.2. Mse I digestion assay allows to corroborate allele 9.2 without sequencing. A population study in Córdoba Province indicates that allele 9.2 of Penta D locus has a frequency of 0.0063.     

Robustness of the Y STRs DYS19, DYS389 I and II, DYS390 and DYS393: optimization of a PCR pentaplex

Various technical methods were investigated with the aim of developing a multiplex system to amplify five Y-chromosome STR loci in the same PCR reaction: DYS393, DYS19, DYS390, DYS389 I and DYS389 II. A sequenced allelic ladder was constructed with previously sequenced alleles including the most common ones. A number of reamplification conditions of the allelic ladders were tested. The pentaplex was evaluated for typing using two different platforms (ABI and ALF) with promising results. However, in degraded samples non-specific artifacts were observed in the DYS393 system in the same range of sizes as the real alleles. This system can also be typed in females under relatively low stringency conditions in the PCR amplification, making this system prone to errors in critical samples. This lack of specificity can be reduced by increasing the stringency of the PCR conditions. The DYS19 ladder cannot be reamplified as stutters appear after a few reamplifications. These stutters are probably due to a 2 bp slippage induced by the presence of a TA repeat stretch in the PCR amplified fragments. Non-specific products were also noted in the DYS389 I and DYS389 II amplification, although out of the range of other alleles in this pentaplex. This newly constructed pentaplex has proved to be very useful in population genetic studies because all five Y STR markers can be loaded in the same lane of a gel with other Y STR singleplex or multiplexes. The usefulness of Y-chromosome STRs in criminal casework is especially evident in analyzing azoospermic individuals.     

壮族人群3个STR基因座基因频率分布及其法医学应用

研究3个STR基因座（D21S11、HumFGA、D19S253）在广西壮族人群中的基因频率分布及其在实际检案中的应用价值。以自制等位基因Ladder样品作为标准对照,用PCR结合PAGE技术对3个STR基因座的扩增产物进行分型。结果显示：D21S11基因座有14个等位基因,有44个基因型;HumFGA基因座有15个等位基因,40个基因型;D195253基因座有9个等位基因,23个基因型。经检验,3个STR基因座基因型分布均符合Hardy－Weinberg平衡,累计个体识别力（DP）为0．9995。3个STR基因座在壮族人群属高识别力遗传标记系统,在法医学个体识别及亲权鉴定方面有重要价值。     

D11S4463基因座等位基因分型标准物制备及应用

目的制备D11S4463基因座等位基因分型标准物,并调查该基因座在中国汉族人群中的遗传多态性。方法设计引物,用荧光引物PCR扩增和ABI 3130XL遗传分析仪电泳的方法,对中国汉族520份无关个体血斑样本D11S4463基因座遗传多态性进行调查,用分子克隆的方法构建其等位基因分型标准物。结果 D11S4463基因座在中国汉族人群中共检测出9个等位基因,杂合度、匹配概率、个体识别能力、多态性信息含量及非父排除概率分别为0.735、0.089、0.911、0.73、0.485。应用分子克隆的方法成功构建其等位基因分型标准物,按国际法庭血液遗传学学会推荐的原则命名。结论 D11S4463基因座具有较高的遗传多态性,应用分子克隆的方法构建其等位基因分型标准物,在法医科学实践中具有较高的应用价值。     

Genetic profiling of a central Venezuelan population using 15 STR markers that may be of forensic importance

The AmpFlSTR Identifiler kit has recently been accepted for use in DNA databasing of forensic samples in the FBI's National DNA Index System. In the present study, we used this kit to analyze the allele distribution of 15 short tandem repeat markers (STR) in individuals living in Caracas city, Venezuela. The allele frequencies of two of these STR, D2S1338 and D19S433, have not previously been reported for this or any other Latin American population. The results indicate that for the population here studied, the 15 STR tested are useful markers for paternity testing and forensic casework.     

Development of a Nomenclature System for a Canine STR Multiplex Reagent Kit*†

Abstract: Despite the popularity of dogs in US households, canine DNA evidence remains largely untapped in forensic investigations partially because of the absence of well‐defined forensic short tandem repeats (STRs), lack of standardized and validated PCR protocols, STR reagent kits, and poorly developed nomenclature. A nomenclature system was established based on internationally recognized recommendations for human forensic STRs for a recently developed canine STR reagent kit. Representative alleles were sequenced from each of the 18 STRs and the sex‐typing marker included in the kit. This study also reflects on the impact of point mutations, insertions, and deletions within and outside the STR core repeat structures. An understanding of the STRs’ sequence and repeat structures will enable development of a robust and reliable allele nomenclature and improve the accuracy and precision of allele fragment sizing in canine forensic profiling. The expected allele sizes have been calculated, and their repeat stuctures defined based on sequence information.     

The structure, frequency, and forensic application of the STR locus D16S543 in the Japanese population

D16S543 is a complex STR locus consisting of five types of repeat units. The frequency distribution and genetic characteristics of this locus in Japanese were investigated using blood samples from 124 unrelated Japanese and 15 families. Alleles were detected using denatured polyacrylamide gels followed by automated analysis on an ABI 373 sequencer using Genescan software 672. Twenty-one alleles were identified, ranging in size from 281 to 489 bp. An allelic ladder containing the 21 alleles was constructed and used as a typing standard. The repeat unit arrays allowed the 21 alleles to be classified into three distinct groups, including alleles 1 to 7 in group I, alleles 8 to 14 in group II, and alleles 15 to 22 in group III. The alleles in group II were characterized by the insertion of one repeat unit of CAGG, one of AAAG, and three of AAGG, while the group III alleles differed from those of groups I and II by the insertion of a total of 32 repeat units ranging in 5 types. Within each group, the alleles differed from each other only in one 5' side tetranucleotide AAGG. The power of discrimination (Pd) and the estimated heterozygosity were calculated to be 0.989 and 0.934, respectively. Typing of this locus was successfully applied in four old forensic materials. The study presented herein demonstrates that D16S543 is a highly polymorphic and applicable locus in Japanese.     

Updated Brazilian genetic data, together with mutation rates, on 19 STR loci, including D10S1237

Allelic frequencies for 19 STR loci (F13B, TPOX, D3S1358, FGA, CSF1PO, D5S818, F13A01, D7S820, D8S1179, D10S1237, TH01, VWA, D13S317, FESFPS, Penta E, D16S539, D18S51, D19S253, and D21S11) were obtained from an average of 13,000 unrelated Brazilian adults undergoing parentage testing. D10S1237 is a tetranucleotide repeat locus shown to be useful for forensic and paternity studies. Null allele frequencies and mutation rates were ascertained from this population sample.     

A new pentaplex system to study short tandem repeat markers of forensic interest on X chromosome

A new method has been optimised to amplify five X chromosome short tandem repeat (STR) markers of interest in forensic medicine: human phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRTB), DXS101, androgen receptor (ARA), DXS7423 and DXS8377. Markers were conveniently amplified in a single PCR reaction with fluorochrome-labelled primers, which allowed the analysis of fragment sizes after injection into a capillary electrophoresis system. The most common alleles of each locus were sequenced and used in a control ladder to type unknown samples.     

Sequence determination of an allelic ladder for the STR polymorphism at the CD4 locus and application of the ladder in testing an Austrian Caucasian population sample

The short tandem repeat (STR) polymorphism at the CD4 locus, designated HUMCD4. was examined by PCR, native polyacrylamide electrophoresis and subsequent silver staining using an allelic ladder of eight distinguishable alleles occurring in an Austrian Caucasian population sample as a standard size marker. The ladder was produced by pooling equal concentrations of eluted, separately amplified and sequenced alleles, which were previously identified by their different electrophoretical migration. Components of the ladder are in regular intervals of five basepairs. Alleles 4 to 8 were designated according to the number of AAAAG repeat units. The four longer alleles 8′ to 11 showed a stable A to G transition in one of the repeat units and were designated counting the AAAGG unit for a AAAAG. Allele 8′ was not included in the ladder because it showed the same electrophoretic mobility as allele 8. This ladder proved to be a precise and reliable tool in the analysis of 600 chromosomes of the Austrian population. The population investigated showed no deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P = 0.23).     

Long Allele Designations at D2S1338 and D19S433 Loci as Influenced by Various Multiplex STR Kits

European forensic laboratories are replacing the STR multiplex kits with the new generation 16/17 STR kits. This study examines the influence of the new generation kits and the new Applied Biosystems 3500xL Genetic Analyzer on the designation of long D2S1338 and D19S433 off‐ladder alleles. Different allele calls were obtained using the new NGM? (Applied Biosystems) and PowerPlex^® ESI? (Promega) kits compared with AmpF?STR^® SGM Plus? kit (Applied Biosystems). Sequence analysis was used to determine accurate allele designation. The new multiplex kits and the 3500xL Genetic Analyzer improved accuracy of long allele designations. DNA databases worldwide include countless profiles obtained by previous kits. Discrepancies between the new and former technologies may cause failure to detect hits. Discordance is expected due to primer sequence differences between various kits. An additional discordance, occurring in long alleles, independent of primer sequence is reported in this study.     

Sequenced allelic ladders and population genetics of a new STR multiplex system

The advent of PCR technology and use of short tandem repeat (STR) loci improves throughput and reduces costs whilst a high level of discrimination can be achieved. A new system, comprising seven STRs, was developed to compliment the existing systems. This paper describes the preparation of allelic ladders of the most commonly observed alleles of a new STR multiplex system (third generation; TGM multiplex); all alleles have been sequenced. Meioses studies estimated a mutation rate of 0-0.4% across loci. Statistical independence was investigated by employing exact tests; chi(2)-tests and excess homozygosity tests. The results demonstrated that the allele proportions do not differ from those expected and that there was no consequential dependence between loci. The discriminating power of the system was examined using 295 Caucasian, 140 Afro-Caribbean and 212 Asian unrelated samples, and was found to be approximately 1 in 50 million, 1 in 85 million and 1 in 20 million for each of these groups, respectively.