ABSTRACT
Nowadays, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) undoubtedly has an inimitable role in forensic science. Since 1985, when Alec Jereys and colleagues rst applied DNA analysis to solve forensic problems, numerous medico-legal cases have been won based on this method (Jereys et al. 1985a,b). It is beyond a doubt that DNA analysis has become “a new form of scientic evidence” that is being constantly evaluated by both the public and professionals. More and more courts around the world accept the results of DNA analysis, and nowadays this technology is almost universally accepted in most legal systems. e foremost applications of DNA analysis in forensic medicine include criminal investigation, personal identication, and paternity testing. According to some sources, more than 300,000 DNA analyses in the dierent areas of expertise are performed annually in the United States. e fact that more than 30% of men who were identied as possible fathers are excluded using DNA technology articulates the importance of DNA analysis. rough the “DNA Innocence project,” launched in the United States to acquit wrongfully convicted people, more than 300 persons have been exonerated by DNA testing (February 2013), including several individuals who were sentenced to death. DNA played an extremely important role in projects involving identication of war victims in Croatia and surrounding countries (Primorac et al. 1996; Primorac 2004; Džijan et al. 2009; Gornik et al. 2002; Alonso et al. 2001). Using this powerful “molecular” tool, identities were determined for thousands of
1.5 DNA Quantication 29 1.5.1 Quantifying DNA Using Method of Spectrophotometry 29 1.5.2 “Yield” Gel Method 29 1.5.3 Hybridization (Slot-Blot) Method 30 1.5.4 AluQuant® Human DNA Quantitation System 30 1.5.5 Quantitative RT-PCR Quantication Technology 31
1.6 Methods for Measuring DNA Variation 32 1.6.1 Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism 32 1.6.2 Polymerase Chain Reaction 33
1.7 PCR Methods 34 1.7.1 Early PCR Amplication and Typing Kits 34 1.7.2 Multiplex STR Systems 35 1.7.3 PowerPlex™ 16 System 38 1.7.4 AmpFLSTR® Identiler™ PCR Amplication Kit 38 1.7.5 PowerPlex® ESX and ESI Systems 40 1.7.6 AmpFℓSTR® NGM™ PCR Amplication Kit 41 1.7.7 Investigator ESSplex Plus Kit and Investigator IDplex Plus Kit 42 1.7.8 PLEX-ID SNP Assay 42
1.8 Detection of PCR Products 43 1.8.1 Analytical resholds and Sensitivity for Forensic DNA Analysis 44 1.8.2 Sequencing 44
1.9 Forensic Analysis of Plant DNA 46 1.10 Forensic Analysis of Animal DNA 46 1.11 Contamination Issues in Field and in Laboratory 47 References 47
skeletal remains, and their families had the opportunity to bury their loved ones with dignity (Anđelinović et al. 2005). Although the development of DNA typing in forensic science was extremely fast, the process is still not nished, and today we are witnessing a new era in the development of DNA technology that involves the introduction of automation and “chip” technology. In this chapter, we will explain the structure of DNA, principles of inheritance of genetic information, technological advances in DNA analysis, as well as the common application of mathematical methods in forensic practice.
