Compromised DNA Evidence

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Abstracts

Science.gov (search on "forensic dna)

Forensic Science Communications
 Federal Bureau of Investigation

Description

Biological samples collected from crime scenes, mass disasters, and missing persons cases may have been exposed to harsh environmental conditions such as heat, direct sunlight, and water that break down the chemical structure of DNA. Environmental exposure damages DNA by randomly breaking the molecules into smaller pieces. Inhibitors of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), such as some textile dyes, can also interfere with the ability to recover a full DNA profile from biological evidence. New DNA tests are being developed to recover information from smaller regions of DNA, which are more likely to be intact following DNA damage. These new DNA tests include miniSTRs (using PCR primers close to the STR repeat region) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Whole genome amplification and DNA repair methods are also being evaluated to determine the possibility of enriching PCR amplifiable material from limited or damaged DNA templates.

Research Projects

The table below presents awards funded both prior to and under the the President's DNA Initiative, which began in 2004.

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Year    Title Awardee Amount Award Number
2008NIJ Proposal to Enhance Methods for Studying Degraded DNAWashington State University, Spokane$595,1962008-DN-BX-K008
2007Tools for Improving the Quality of Aged, Degraded, Damaged or Otherwise Compromised DNA EvidenceLouisiana State University$580,3372007-DN-BX-K146
2006Effect of DNA Degradation and Inhibition on PCR Amplification of Single-Source and Mixed Forensic SamplesFlorida International University$347,3992006-DN-BX-K006
2006Repair of DNA for Forensic AnalysisGeneral Electric Company$453,4722006-DN-BX-K018
2006 Double-Strand Break Repair of Highly Degraded DNA University of Central Florida $174,025 2006-DN-BX-K005
2005 Use of MiniSTRs as Tools for the Investigation of DNA Degradation and Inhibition Florida International University $171,394 2005-MU-BX-K073
2005Development and Evaluation of a Whole Genome Amplification Method for Accurate Multiplex STR Genotyping of Compromised Forensic Casework SamplesVirginia Commonwealth University$225,6162005-DA-BX-K002
2003Assessment and In Vitro Repair of Damaged DNA TemplatesUniversity of Central Florida$169,9242002-IJ-CX-K001
2003 Developing a High-Yield DNA Isolation Method Using Matrix Proteinase for Compromised Skeletal Samples Sam Houston State University $25,001 2003-IJ-CX-K105
2002Novel STR Multiplexes With Reduced Size to Analyze DNAOhio University$453,1102002-IJ-CX-K007
2002Assessment and In Vitro Repair of Damaged DNA TemplatesUniversity of Central Florida$115,1232002-IJ-CX-K001
2002 Increasing the Predictability and Success Rate of Skeletal Evidence Typing: Using Physical Characteristics of Bone as a Metric for DNA Quality and Quantity Michigan State University $175,111 2002-IJ-CX-K016
2002 SNP Detection in Highly Degraded DNA University of California-Berkeley $215,322 2002-IJ-CX-K005

Research Articles and Reports

Select a title to view an abstract from PubMed database (National Library of Medicine's) unless a different file type is indicated.

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Title Authors Publication Year Awardee Award Number
Repair of Damaged DNA for Forensic Analysis (pdf, 96 pages) John Nelson, Ph.D. Final Grant Report 2009 General Electric Company 2006-DN-BX-K018
Development and Evaluation of a Whole Genome Amplification Method for Accurate Multiplex STR Genotyping of Compromised Forensic Casework Samples (pdf, 84 pages) Dawson Cruz, Tracey Final Grant Report 2009 Virginia Commonwealth University 2005-DA-BX-K002
Evaluation and quantification of nuclear DNA from human telogen hairs. Opel KL, Fleishaker EL, Nicklas JA, Buel E, McCord BR. J Forensic Sci. 2008 Jul; 53(4):853-7 2008 Ohio University 2002-IJ-CX-K007
Characterization of 26 miniSTR loci for improved analysis of degraded DNA samples Hill CR, Kline MC, Coble MD, Butler JM J Forensic Sci. 2008 Jan; 53(1):73-80. Epub 2007 Nov 13 2008 NIST 2003-IJ-R-029
Developmental validation of reduced-size STR Miniplex primer sets. Opel KL, Chung DT, Drábek J, Butler JM, McCord BR. J Forensic Sci. 2007 Nov; 52(6):1263-71. 2007 Florida International University 2005-MU-BX-K073
Concordance study between the AmpFlSTR MiniFiler PCR amplification kit and conventional STR typing kits. Hill CR, Kline MC, Mulero JJ, Lagacé RE, Chang CW, Hennessy LK, Butler JM. J Forensic Sci. 2007 Jul; 52(4):870-3. Epub 2007 Jun 6. 2007 NIST 2003-IJ-R-029
Allele frequencies of six miniSTR loci of three ethnic populations in Singapore. Yong RY, Gan LS, Coble MD, Yap EP. Forensic Sci Int. 2007 Mar 2; 166(2-3):240-3. Epub 2006 Jan 23. 2007 NIST 2003-IJ-R-029
Novel thermostable Y-family polymerases: applications for the PCR amplification of damaged or ancient DNAs McDonald JP, Hall A, Gasparutto D, Cadet J, Ballantyne J, Woodgate R. Nucleic Acids Res. 2006 Feb 18; 34(4):1102-11 2006 National Center for Forensic Sciences 2002-IJ-CX-K001
The application of miniplex primer sets in the analysis of degraded DNA from human skeletal remains. Opel KL, Chung DT, Drabek J, Tatarek NE, Jantz LM, McCord BR. J Forensic Sci. 2006 Mar; 51(2):351-6 2006 Ohio University 2002-IJ-CX-K007
Assessment and In Vitro Repair of Damaged DNA Templates (pdf, 94 pages) Jack Ballantyne Final Grant Report 2006 University of Central Florida 2002-IJ-CX-K001
Increasing the Predictability and Success Rate of Skeletal Evidence Typing: Using Physical Characteristics of Bone as a Metric for DNA Quality and Quantity (pdf, 105 pages) Dr. David Foran Final Grant Report 2006 Michigan State University 2002-IJ-CX-K016
The Development of Miniplex Primer Sets for the Analysis of Degraded DNA (pdf, 86 pages) Bruce McCord Final Grant Report 2005 Ohio University 2002-IJ-CX-K007
Analysis of artificially degraded DNA using STRs and SNPs-results of a collaborative European (EDNAP) exercise. Dixon LA, Dobbins AE, Pulker HK, Butler JM, Vallone PM, Coble MD, Parson W, Berger B, Grubwieser P, Mogensen HS, Morling N, Nielsen K, Sanchez JJ, Petkovski E, Carracedo A, Sanchez-Diz P, Ramos-Luis E, Brion M, Irwin JA, Just RS, Loreille O, Parsons TJ, Syndercombe Court D, Schmitter H, Stradmann -Bellinghausen B, Bender K, Gill P. Forensic Sci Int. 2005 Dec 9; [Epub ahead of print] 2005 National Institute of Standards and Technology 2003-IJ-R-029
A quantitative PCR assay for the assessment of DNA degradation in forensic samples. Swango KL, Timken MD, Chong MD, Buoncristiani MR. Forensic Sci Int. 2006 Apr 20; 158(1):14-26. Epub 2005 Jun 3 2005 California Department of Justice 2002-IJ-CX-K008
Characterization of new miniSTR loci to aid analysis of degraded DNA. Coble MD, Butler JM. J Forensic Sci. 2005 Jan; 50(1):43-53 2005 National Institute of Standards and Technology 2003-IJ-R-029
Concordance study between Miniplex assays and a commercial STR typing kit. Drabek J, Chung DT, Butler JM, McCord BR. J Forensic Sci. 2004 Jul; 49(4):859-60. 2004 Ohio University 2002-IJ-CX-K007
A study on the effects of degradation and template concentration on the amplification efficiency of the STR Miniplex primer sets. Chung DT, Drabek J, Opel KL, Butler JM, McCord BR. J Forensic Sci. 2004 Jul; 49(4):733-40. 2004 Ohio University 2002-IJ-CX-K007
Characterization of UVC-induced DNA damage in bloodstains: forensic implications Hall A, Ballantyne J. Anal Bioanal Chem. 2004 380:72-83 2004 University of Central Florida 2002-IJ-CX-K001
The development of reduced size STR amplicons as tools for analysis of degraded DNA. Butler JM, Shen Y, McCord BR. J Forensic Sci. 2003 Sep; 48(5):1054-64. 2003 Ohio University 2002-IJ-CX-K007
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