The polymerase chain reaction and post-mortem forensic identity testing: application of amplified D1S80 and HLA-DQ alpha loci to the identification of fire victims

A Sajantila; M Ström; B Budowle; P J Karhunen; L Peltonen

doi:10.1016/0379-0738(91)90203-u

The polymerase chain reaction and post-mortem forensic identity testing: application of amplified D1S80 and HLA-DQ alpha loci to the identification of fire victims

Forensic Sci Int. 1991 Oct;51(1):23-34. doi: 10.1016/0379-0738(91)90203-u.

Authors

A Sajantila¹, M Ström, B Budowle, P J Karhunen, L Peltonen

Affiliation

¹ Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland.

PMID: 1752592
DOI: 10.1016/0379-0738(91)90203-u

Abstract

The application of DNA typing methods after amplification by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of DNA derived from body tissues from charred fire victims was investigated. A total of 26 different tissue specimens from ten extensively burned individuals were analyzed. The samples included femoral muscle, psoas muscle, bone marrow and blood. The post-mortem period varied from 38 to 183 h. After amplifying the DNA by PCR from the various tissues, the D1S80 locus was analyzed with a high resolution polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis technique followed by silver staining and the alleles of the HLA-DQ alpha locus were detected by using a reverse dot blot format. All samples could be typed for both loci and the genotypes were consistent in the various tissues from each individual. A parentage test was performed in two cases and Mendelian inheritance of the alleles for both loci was observed.

MeSH terms

Alleles
Base Sequence
Bone Marrow / pathology
Burns / pathology*
DNA / analysis*
DNA Probes / chemistry
Female
Fires*
Forensic Medicine / methods*
Genotype
HLA-DQ Antigens / genetics*
Humans
Male
Molecular Sequence Data
Muscles / pathology
Pedigree
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Postmortem Changes
Psoas Muscles / pathology

Substances

DNA Probes
HLA-DQ Antigens
DNA