Short tandem repeat (STR) markers adopted for forensic applications are generally stable and have been proved effective for the analysis of many archival pathology specimens and postmortem tissues. However, recent studies on STR typing of cancerous samples have shown misinterpreted profiles caused by two types of genetic alterations in tumor materials: microsatellite instability (MSI, contracti...

We have devised and implemented a DNA fingerprinting module for an upper division undergraduate laboratory based on the amplification and analysis of three of the 13 short tandem repeat loci that are required by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Combined DNA Index System (FBI CODIS) data base. Students first collect human epithelial (cheek) cells using sterile buccal swabs and then utilize co...

We have recently introduced a new protocol for analyzing all core loci of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) with an infrared (IR) automatic DNA sequencer (LI-COR 4200). The amplicons were labeled with forward oligonucleotide primers, covalently linked to a new infrared fluorescent molecule (IRDye 800). The alleles were displayed as familiar autoradiog...

STRs, scattered throughout the genome with higher mutation rate, are attractive to genetic application like forensic, anthropological and population genetics studies. STR profiling has now been applied in various aspects of human identification in forensic investigations. This work described the developmental validation of a novel and universal assay, the Huaxia Platinum System, which amplifies...

Short tandem repeats (STRs) are used routinely for the analysis of DNA samples from evidentiary items, convicted offenders, relationship testing and other identity testing disciplines. The discriminatory power of the STRs is sufficient in most human identity testing comparisons to render an identification. However, STRs have some limitations in evaluations, such as parentage testing, identifica...

Population stratification has the potential to affect the results of genetic marker studies. Estimating individual ancestry provides a continuous measure to assess population structure in case-control studies of complex disease, instead of using self-reported racial groups. We estimate individual ancestry using the Federal Bureau of Investigation CODIS Core short tandem repeat set of 13 loci us...

Short tandem repeats (STRs) are commonly used as genetic markers. The detection and analysis of STRs can be used to gather information on polymorphisms of interest to forensic geneticists. Denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) is an affordable method for the detection of minor sequence changes in DNA, while capillary electrophoresis (CE) is the gold standard for genotyping analys...

Nucleic acid sample storage is of paramount importance in forensic science as well as in epidemiological, clinical, and genetic laboratories. Millions of biological samples, including cells, viruses, and DNA/RNA, are stored every year for diagnostics, research, and forensic science. PCR has permitted the analysis of minute sample quantities. Samples such as bone, teeth, touch samples, and some ...

Questions of understanding and quantifying the representation and amount of information in organisms have become a central part of biological research, as they potentially hold the key to fundamental advances. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of information-theoretic tools for the task of identifying segments of biomolecules (DNA or RNA) that are statistically correlated. We develop a prec...