NCJ Number
246517
Journal
Forensic Science International: Genetics Volume: 10 Dated: May 2014 Pages: 40-48
Date Published
May 2014
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This article describes the results of a collaborative effort by nine European laboratories to assess the value of mRNA analysis in a forensic context.
Abstract
This article describes the work of nine European laboratories, members of the European Forensic Genetics Network of Excellence (EUROFORGEN-NoE), to assess the value of mRNA in a forensic context. Forensic samples were separated into two sets: the first set involved purified PCR products and cDNA specimens while the second set comprised mock casework stains. At the laboratory overseeing the project, the samples were subjected to DNA/RNA co-extraction, quantification of DNA extracts, DNase treatment of RNA extracts, and reverse transcription of 10 uL RNA aliquots. A 20-marker multiplex was used to analyze the samples, and information on the overall sensitivity and specificity of the various markers was obtained. The laboratories also assessed the reliability of the scoring system used for inference of cell types. The scoring system assessed by the researchers builds on replicate RNA analyses and the ratio observed/possible peaks for each cell type. The results of the scoring system assessment and analyses of the samples indicate that the scoring system is useful for inference of cell types. In addition, the study found that the majority of the markers used in the 20-marker multiplex performed acceptably in analyzing the samples. When researchers were tasked with integrating the DNA and RNA results and associate donor and cell type data, the results revealed large variations in the integrated interpretations. This finding suggests the need for development of a set of guidelines for use in data interpretation. 6 tables, 1 appendix, and 33 references