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Updated: Apr 25, 2026
Application of DNA Fingerprinting using the D1S80 Locus in Lab Classes
Published on: July 17, 2021
Trophectoderm DNA fingerprinting by quantitative real-time PCR successfully distinguishes sibling human embryos
Richard T Scott1, Jing Su, Xin Tao
1Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey, 140 Allen Rd, Basking Ridge, Morristown, NJ, 07960, USA.
Purpose:
To validate a novel and more practical system for trophectoderm DNA fingerprinting which reliably distinguishes sibling embryos from each other.
Methods:
In this prospective and blinded study two-cell and 5-cell samples from commercially available sibling cell lines and excess DNA from trophectoderm biopsies of sibling human blastocysts were evaluated for accurate assignment of relationship using qPCR-based allelic discrimination from 40 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with low allele frequency variation and high heterozygosity.
Results:
Cell samples with self relationships averaged 95.1 ± 5.9 % similarity. Sibling relationships averaged 57.2 ± 5.9 % similarity for all 40 SNPs, and 40.8 ± 8.2 % similarity for the 25 informative SNPs. Assignment of relationships was accomplished with 100 % accuracy for cell lines and embryos.
Conclusions:
These data demonstrate the first trophectoderm qPCR-based DNA fingerprinting technology capable of unequivocal discrimination of sibling human embryos. This methodology will empower research and development of new markers of, and interventions that influence embryonic reproductive potential.
