Improving DNA data exchange: validation studies on a single 6 dye STR kit with 24 loci.

The idea of developing a new multiplex STR amplification system was conceived in 2011 as an effective way to implement the new European standard set (ESS) of 12 STR markers adopted by The Council of the European Union in 2009 while maintaining an effective compatibility and information exchange with the historical DNA profiles contained in the Spanish national DNA database (around 200,000 DNA profiles) mainly based on the 13 CODIS core STR loci plus D19S433 and D2S1338 markers. With this goal in mind we proposed to test and validate a single STR amplification system for simultaneous analysis of 21 STR markers covering both CODIS and ESS core STR loci plus three additional markers (D19S433, D2S1338, and SE33) also contained in commonly used STR kits and national DNA databases. In 2012, we started the first beta-testing with a 6-dye STR kit prototype containing 24 loci (now known as the GlobalFiler™ PCR Amplification Kit) developed by Life Technologies in response to the CODIS Core Loci Working Group's recommendation to expand the CODIS Core Loci. This prototype included our proposal of 21 autosomal STR markers and two Y-chromosome markers (DYS391 and Y-indel) and maximizes concordance with established databases and previously analyzed samples by maintaining primer sequences of previous Identifiler(®)/NGM SElect™ kits for the 21 STR markers except for TPOX. This paper describes the validation studies conducted with the first commercial available 6-dye STR kit for casework using a 3500 genetic analyzer for fragment detection that included the analysis of the following parameters and aspects: analytical threshold, sensitivity & stochastic threshold, heterozygous balance, stutter threshold, precision and accuracy, repeatability and reproducibility, genotype concordance, DNA mixtures, species specificity, and stability studies with case type samples. The studies demonstrated that the GlobalFiler™ system provided equivalent overall performance to previous forensic STR PCR kits, but with enhanced discrimination power for a better match efficiency that would reduce the chance of adventitious matches during DNA data exchange among national DNA databases.

Real-time PCR designs to estimate nuclear and mitochondrial DNA copy number in forensic and ancient DNA studies.

We explore different designs to estimate both nuclear and mitochondrial human DNA (mtDNA) content based on the detection of the 5' nuclease activity of the Taq DNA polymerase using fluorogenic probes and a real-time quantitative PCR detection system. Human mtDNA quantification was accomplished by monitoring the real-time progress of the PCR-amplification of two different fragment sizes (113 and 287 bp) within the hypervariable region I (HV1) of the mtDNA control region, using two fluorogenic probes to specifically determine the mtDNA copy of each fragment size category. This mtDNA real-time PCR design has been used to assess the mtDNA preservation (copy number and degradation state) of DNA samples retrieved from 500 to 1500 years old human remains that showed low copy number and highly degraded mtDNA. The quantification of nuclear DNA was achieved by real-time PCR of a segment of the X-Y homologous amelogenin (AMG) gene that allowed the simultaneous estimation of a Y-specific fragment (AMGY: 112 bp) and a X-specific fragment (AMGX: 106 bp) making possible not only haploid or diploid DNA quantitation but also sex determination. The AMG real-time PCR design has been used to quantify a set of 57 DNA samples from 4-5 years old forensic bone remains with improved sensitivity compared with the slot-blot hybridization method. The potential utility of this technology to improve the quality of some PCR-based forensic and ancient DNA studies (microsatellite typing and mtDNA sequencing) is discussed.