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Individual identification by DNA polymorphism using formalin-fixed placenta with whole genome amplification
Jian Tie1, Yuka Serizawa, Shigemi Oshida
1Department of Legal Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, Oyaguchi Kamimachi, Itabashi, Japan. jtie@med.nihon-u.ac.jp
Pathology International
|June 10, 2005
Summary
Formalin-fixed placental DNA can be used for individual identification. Whole genome amplification techniques significantly improve DNA recovery and typing success from these challenging samples.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Science
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification from formalin-fixed tissues is challenging due to DNA degradation.
- Assessing the origin of placental tissue requires reliable DNA analysis methods.
Observation:
- DNA extracted from 6-week formalin-fixed placental tissue yielded low molecular weight DNA, limiting short tandem repeat (STR) locus amplification.
- Whole genome amplification using degenerate oligonucleotide-primed PCR (DOP-PCR) increased DNA molecular weight to over 10 kbp.
Findings:
- DOP-PCR enabled the amplification of more DNA loci from formalin-fixed placental samples.
- Purified large molecular size fragments from DOP-PCR products allowed successful amplification of the D1S80 minisatellite and 12 STR loci.
Implications:
- This study demonstrates a viable method for DNA-based individual identification using formalin-fixed placental tissues.
- The enhanced DNA amplification technique expands the utility of archival formalin-fixed samples in forensic and identification contexts.