NCJ Number
218475
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 52 Issue: 3 Dated: May 2007 Pages: 557-561
Date Published
May 2007
Length
5 pages
Annotation
In order to assess the National Missing Person DNA Database Program's lab in identifying skeletal remains, this study retrospectively examined the lab's ability to develop mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) profiles from the remains submitted to the lab in the last 6 1/2 years.
Abstract
The study found that at least a partial mtDNA profile was obtained for 83.6 percent of the samples. There were two general categories of skeletal remains: samples submitted for body identifications by law enforcement agencies and samples submitted to determine historical origins or family identity. Body identification cases were more likely to yield full mtDNA profiles; whereas, historical cases were more likely to result in partial profiles. The ability to obtain a full or partial mtDNA profile was related primarily to the difference in the average age and condition of the samples in the two case categories. Cremated remains uniformly failed to produce mtDNA profiles. Infant/fetal remains, on the other hand, uniformly yielded mtDNA profiles. Mitochondrial DNA profiles were generated from bones and teeth submitted for casework. This consisted of 116 DNA extractions completed on skeletal remains from routine casework conducted between February 1999 and May 2005. Samples were processed individually and extracted in parallel with a reagent blank control that accompanied the sample throughout testing. This report provides detailed descriptions of DNA extraction and PCR amplification and sequencing. 2 tables, 2 figures, and 23 references