Amelogenin Gene Failure in Sex Determination of Dry Human Teeth Specimens from Sokoto, Northwestern Nigeria

The study of teeth reveals a lot concerning forensic medicine. Particularly it is useful in human identification. In addition to determination of age, sex can also be determined from teeth. The genetic difference between males and females is defined by the presence or absence of the Y-chromosome. The majority of the DNA of the sex chromosomes is specific to either the X or Y form. There are regions of homology between the two sex chromosomes that are also useful targets for genetic sex typing of samples. Materials and Methods: A single blind study for genetic sex identification using amelogenin gene multiplex primers on dry human teeth specimens from Sokoto, Northwestern Nigeria, was undertaken, from 2009 through 2011. No genetic sex identification was achieved in any of the dry human teeth samples. For each group of teeth, PCR Sensitivity = 0%, Specificity = 0%, Predictive value of positive test = 0%, Predictive value of negative test = 0%, False positive rate = 0%, False negative rate = 0%, Efficiency of test = 0%. Fisher’s exact probability test P = 1. Ztest: zand p values were invalid. No genetic sex identification was achieved in any of the dry human teeth samples. Therefore, amelogenin PCR for genetic sex identification should not, at least for now, completely replace traditional morphological methods of sex identification. This is the first known study that used amelogenin gene multiplex primers to determine the sex of human dry teeth specimens by means of PCR in Nigeria. There is need for further studies in Nigeria to complement the findings of this study.