Validation of the Microreader™ 29Y Prime ID system for forensic use

Abstract

Currently, Y-short tandem repeat loci (Y-STRs) have been increasingly used in the forensic field, particularly in investigations of sexual assault, determination of paternity and male lineage studies because of the characteristics of male-only and paternal inheritance. The Microreader™ 29Y Prime ID system is a 29-plex Y-STR genotyping system that amplifies 17 widely used commercial loci (DYS570, DYS546, DYS460, DYS458, DYS635, DYS533, DYS448, DYS627, DYS456, DYS576, DYS449, DYS437, DYS643, DYS518, DYF387S1 a/b, and a sexual locus Y GATA H4), European recommended 7 single-copy "minimal haplotypes" (DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, and DYS385a/b) and 2 additional loci (DYS438 and DYS439) recommended by The Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM). The Microreader™ 29Y Prime ID system was validated according to the guidelines of "Validation Guidelines for DNA Analysis Methods (2016)" described by the Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM), including PCR-based, sensitivity, precision and accuracy evaluation, stutter percentage and peak height ratio, inhibitors, species specificity and DNA mixture studies. This study indicates that the Microreader™ 29Y Prime ID system is a useful tool for forensic cases and Y-STR genotyping.

Keywords: Forensic science; Microreader™ 29Y Prime ID system; Validation; Y-STR.