Multiplex-RNA-analysis for detection and identification of forensically relevant organ tissues

Area of Science:

• Forensic Science
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Accurate identification of biological trace material origin is crucial in forensic investigations.
• Standard DNA analysis can be complemented by RNA markers for contextualizing biological traces.
• Detecting and identifying specific body fluids and organ tissues aids in reconstructing criminal events.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe an optimized and expanded approach for messenger RNA (mRNA)-based organ tissue identification.
• To develop a new panel for capillary electrophoretic detection of organ-specific mRNA markers.
• To validate the method's reliability and sensitivity for forensic casework.

Main Methods:

• Targeted amplification of organ-specific mRNA equivalents.
• Capillary electrophoresis for separation and visualization of amplified products.
• Utilizing a panel of 21 established markers for seven tissue types with six fluorescent dyes.

Main Results:

• Successfully validated 21 markers for seven tissue types (brain, heart, lung, liver, kidney, adipose, skeletal muscle).
• Demonstrated reliable identification of these tissues in forensic casework-relevant sample types (post-mortem samples).
• Confirmed the robustness and sensitivity of the mRNA-based identification method.

Conclusions:

• The developed mRNA-based method is a valuable tool for forensic investigations, improving tissue type identification precision.
• This approach enhances the contextualization of biological traces in diverse forensic scenarios.
• The study provided insights for optimizing laboratory processes for other RNA-based forensic procedures.