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Specificity of Sibship Determination Using the ABI Identifiler Multiplex System

NCJ Number
207711
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 49 Issue: 6 Dated: November 2004 Pages: 1262-1264
Author(s)
Thomas M. Reid Ph.D.; Caitlin A. Wolf B.S.; Christopher M. Kraemer B.S.; Susannie C. Lee Ph.D.; Michael L. Baird Ph.D.; Richard F. Lee Ph.D.
Date Published
November 2004
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Gaytmenn et al. reported on the analysis of 19 sibling pairs by using the ABI Profiler Plus STR (short tandem repeat) system that uses 9 independent STR loci; the current study extended that study by using 50 full and 50 nonsibling pairs analyzed with the ABI Identifiler STR system that uses 15 independent STR loci.
Abstract
Samples from previously analyzed parentage tests were used as a source of full siblings and nonsiblings. For full siblings, results from 50 cases that included the mother, 2 children (nonidentical twins), and an alleged father were used. In each of these cases, neither the mother nor alleged father was excluded as a biological parent of either child, and no mutational events were detected. A total of 100 unrelated individuals were selected randomly from independent parentage cases and matched by race into 50 pairs as nonsibling controls. DNA samples were isolated from whole blood or buccal swabs by using a modified alkaline lysis method. DNA samples were amplified by using the ABI AmpFLSTR Identifiler PCR Amplification Kit according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Likelihood ratios in the form of combined sibship indexes were calculated for each pair by using DNA-View software v25.05. An in-house population database was used to compute allele frequencies. Locus heterozygosity was calculated with DNA-View. The 15 loci STR system distinguished all 50 sibling pairs tested without difficulty; no false positives were identified among the nonsibling pairs. This indicates that the use of this STR system will be predictive for identifying siblings even without testing a common parent. 2 figures, 2 tables, and 8 references