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The use of Hemastix® severely reduces DNA recovery using the BioRobot® EZ1
Daniel Petersen1, Marla Kaplan
1Oregon State Police Forensic Services Division, Portland Metro Forensic Laboratory, 13309 SE 84th Avenue, Clackamas, OR 97015, USA.
The choice of reagents for presumptive tests for blood, and subsequent extraction methodologies, can significantly affect both the quantity and quality of purified DNA. Blood samples directly tested with Hemastix(®) yielded <1% of the DNA recovered from untested samples when purified using the Qiagen BioRobot(®) EZ1 and EZ1(®) DNA Investigator kit. Full short tandem repeat profiles were obtained from both tested and untested samples, suggesting that the Hemastix(®) reagent(s) affect DNA binding, rather than produce DNA damage. The Hemastix(®) inhibition of DNA yield could be overcome by the addition of MTL buffer to the sample prior to extraction. Laboratories may wish to modify current procedures for extracting blood samples, utilize other extraction/purification methodologies, or inform their submitting agencies to avoid direct exposure of questioned bloodstains to Hemastix(®) reagents.
The choice of reagents for presumptive tests for blood, and subsequent extraction methodologies, can significantly affect both the quantity and quality of purified DNA. Blood samples directly tested with Hemastix(®) yielded <1% of the DNA recovered from untested samples when purified using the Qiagen BioRobot(®) EZ1 and EZ1(®) DNA Investigator kit. Full short tandem repeat profiles were obtained from both tested and untested samples, suggesting that the Hemastix(®) reagent(s) affect DNA binding, rather than produce DNA damage. The Hemastix(®) inhibition of DNA yield could be overcome by the addition of MTL buffer to the sample prior to extraction. Laboratories may wish to modify current procedures for extracting blood samples, utilize other extraction/purification methodologies, or inform their submitting agencies to avoid direct exposure of questioned bloodstains to Hemastix(®) reagents.
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