Native American population data based on the Globalfiler(®) autosomal STR loci

Area of Science:

• Forensic genetics
• Population genetics
• Anthropology

Background:

• Accurate statistical parameters for forensic investigations are significantly impacted by limited Native American population data.
• Existing forensic databases lack comprehensive genetic information from many geographically representative Native American tribes.
• There is a critical need to generate new genetic data from underrepresented Native American populations.

Discussion:

• This research addresses the data gap by generating Short Tandem Repeat (STR) genotypic data for 533 individuals from 31 Native American tribal populations.
• The study covers eight geographically diverse regions in North America, ensuring broad representation.
• Data were produced using the Globafiler® PCR Amplification kit, a standard forensic tool.

Key Insights:

• Provides population genetic estimates for 21 autosomal STRs across diverse Native American groups.
• Establishes a foundational dataset for improving the accuracy of forensic statistical parameters in Native American populations.
• Highlights the importance of including geographically and tribally diverse populations in forensic genetic databases.

Outlook:

• This work will enhance the reliability of forensic DNA analysis and interpretation for Native American individuals.
• Facilitates more accurate kinship and identification analyses in forensic casework involving Native American populations.
• Encourages further research and data generation for other underrepresented populations in forensic science.