Optimization of a duplex amplification and sequencing strategy for the HVI/HVII regions of human mitochondrial DNA for forensic casework

A duplex primer set for the amplification of mitochondrial DNA HVI and HVII control regions was evaluated for the optimization of a DNA sequencing protocol suitable for forensic casework. HVI and HVII products, with the absence of non-specific products, could be detected by agarose gel electrophoresis when as little as 0.5 and 0.1pg of DNA were amplified for 34 and 38 cycles, respectively. Because HVI and HVII amplicons are co-synthesized in the duplex PCR, fewer steps are required (lessening the risk of cross contamination events) and more frugal use of precious extracted DNA samples is possible, both desirable features for forensic casework. The ABI Prism BigDyetrade mark version 1.1 chemistry provided high quality sequencing data, with little or no background noise and uniform peak heights, outcomes that favored reliable detection of heteroplasmy, particularly at early sequence reads (<40 bases). Optimal compromise between sensitivity and sequence accuracy in the absence of noise was achieved starting at 150 mitochondrial genome copies. The protocol is effective (no sequence errors) with highly degraded DNA (average detectable template size of 200bp). Dual artificial template mixtures with the minor component at 15% suggests that heteroplasmy should be detected at this level with confidence.