Advantages and Disadvantages of Y-Short Tandem Repeat Testing in Forensic Casework

Y-chromosome-specific human DNA markers can be a useful tool in forensic casework. Several case scenarios are presented to point out the advantages and disadvantages of Y-STR testing over autosomal STR testing. The main advantage of the Y-STR approach is the ability to detect the male component even in extreme mixtures of male and female DNA. It is also useful for rapid screening of large number of stains and the determination of the number of semen donors for mixtures of two or more male individuals. The main disadvantage is the inability to distinguish between male relatives and the limitations of the haplotype frequency approach.