NCJ Number
234616
Journal
Forensic Science International: Genetics Volume: 5 Issue: 3 Dated: June 2011 Pages: 216-221
Date Published
June 2011
Length
6 pages
Annotation
The study investigated the ability of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to be used in forensic casework.
Abstract
The study found that forensic samples were able to be analyzed using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) via SNaPshot technique while both the routine analysis of the samples for short tandem repeats (STRs) and the sequencing of the mitochondrial hypervariable region I (HVR I) failed. This study tested the ability of mtDNA SNPs to be used in forensic analysis as a quicker and less expensive method than routine analysis of samples for STRs. Saliva, blood, sperm, hair, tooth, and bone samples ranging in age from 2 months to 1,400 years were analyzed using routine analysis techniques and the SNaPshot technique. The tests found that the mtDNA SNP analysis was a powerful tool in identifying the different biological materials when other standard analysis methods had failed, even in cases where the stains contained mixed biological material. Tables, figure, and references