Automated DNA Extraction of Single Dog Hairs Without Roots for Mitochondrial DNA Analysis

• NCJ Number: 240634
• Journal: Forensic Science International: Genetics Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: March 2012 Pages: 277-281
• Author(s): Bram Bekaert; Maarten H.D. Larmuseau; Maarten P.M. Vanhove; Anouschka Opdekamp; Ronny Decorte
• Date Published: March 2012
• Length: 5 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Ireland

Annotation

The aim of this study was to validate a semi-automated extraction method for mitochondrial DNA analysis of telogenic dog hairs.

Abstract

Dogs are intensely integrated in human social life and their shed hairs can play a major role in forensic investigations. The overall aim of this study was to validate a semi-automated extraction method for mitochondrial DNA analysis of telogenic dog hairs. Extracted DNA was amplified with a 95-percent success rate from 43 samples using 2 new experimental designs in which the mitochondrial control region was amplified as a single large (+/- 1260 bp) amplicon or as two individual amplicons (HV1 and HV2; +/- 650 and 350 bp) with tailed-primers. The results prove that the extraction of dog hair mitochondrial DNA can easily be automated to provide sufficient DNA yield for the amplification of a forensically useful long mitochondrial DNA fragment or alternatively two short fragments with minimal loss of sequence in case of degraded samples. (Published Abstract)