Forensic botany: species identification of botanical trace evidence using a multigene barcoding approach

Area of Science:

• Forensic science
• Molecular biology
• Botany

Background:

• Forensic botany is underutilized due to challenges in identifying degraded plant material.
• Traditional methods struggle with species-level identification of trace botanical evidence.
• Accurate plant identification is crucial for forensic investigations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate two chloroplast DNA regions (psbA-trnH and trnL-trnF) as DNA barcoding markers for forensic plant identification.
• To develop a universal multimarker system for species identification across the plant kingdom.
• To assess the effectiveness of DNA barcoding for forensic applications.

Main Methods:

• DNA sequencing of two non-coding chloroplast DNA regions (psbA-trnH and trnL-trnF).
• Submission and registration of sequences from 63 local plant species to GenBank.
• Sequence comparison using Blast algorithms to determine identification levels (species, genus, family).

Main Results:

• The study successfully established a multimarker DNA barcoding system for plant identification.
• Sequences from 63 plant species were analyzed, demonstrating the method's applicability.
• Blast algorithm analysis confirmed the effectiveness of the chosen markers for forensic identification.

Conclusions:

• The developed DNA barcoding assay using psbA-trnH and trnL-trnF is effective for forensic plant identification.
• This multimarker system offers a robust solution for identifying degraded botanical evidence.
• The findings support the routine integration of DNA barcoding in forensic investigations.