Allele frequencies of 10 STR loci in Koreans

Pedigree likelihood formulae based on founder and founder couple symmetry and validation of DNA testing software

Pedigree likelihood ratios are widely used in forensic genetics. Linkage of genetic markers affects the pedigree likelihood ratio. In this study, a series of novel formulae was established based on simplification due to founder and founder couple symmetry of the Lander-Green algorithm for dealing with linkage. These new formulae are based on the inheritance vectors and differ from existing formulae that are based on the number of alleles shared identical-by-descent. In contrast to previous formulae, the formulae of this study expand the calculation to more general relationships, which enables specifying the number of typed individuals in pedigrees, and the new formulae are no longer limited to calculation of pairs of linked markers. Alternatively, pedigree likelihood values incorporating multiple linked markers could be obtained by iterating the vector transition probability between pairs of linkage markers and the probability of genotypes of typed individuals given inheritance vectors; the vector transition probability formulae are provided in a table form. To demonstrate utilization of the proposed formulae system, a series of cases were designed based on the relationships to validate GeneVisa software (www.genevisa.net) with frequency data of three linked markers, SE33-D6S1043-D6S474, on chromosome 6. The calculation results were verified with the FamLink software. The results demonstrated that the proposed formulae can correctly obtain the pedigree likelihood ratio, demonstrating the application potential of these formulae to verify effectiveness of DNA testing software.

[Polymorphism analysis of 20 autosomal short-tandem repeat loci in southern Chinese Han population]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the value of PowerPlex^®21 System (Promega) and study the genetic polymorphism of its 20 short-tandem repeat (STR) loci in southern Chinese Han population.

METHODS

We conducted genotyping experiments using PowerPlex^®21 System on 20 autosomal STR loci (D3S1358, D1S1656, D6S1043, D13S317, Penta E, D16S539, D18S51, D2S1338, CSF1PO, Penta D, TH01, vWA, D21S11, D7S820, D5S818, TPOX, D8S1179, D12S391, D19S433 and FGA) in 2367 unrelated Chinese Han individuals living in South China. The allele frequencies and parameters commonly used in forensic science were statistically analyzed in these individuals and compared with the reported data of other populations.

RESULTS

The PowerPlex^® 21 System had a power of discrimination (PD) ranging from 0.7839 to 0.9852 and a power of exclusion (PE) ranging from 0.2974 to 0.8099 for the 20 loci. No significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg expectations was found for all the loci except for D5S818. This southern Chinese Han population had significant differences in the allele frequencies from 8 ethnic groups reported in China, and showed significant differences at 8 to 20 STR foci from 5 foreign populations. The allele frequency at the locus D1S1656 in this southern Chinese Han population differed significantly from those in the 5 foreign populations and from 3 reported Han populations in Beijing, Zhejiang Province and Fujian Province of China. The neighbor-joining phylogenetictree showed clustering of all the Asian populations in one branch, while the northern Italian and Argentina populations clustered in a separate branch. This southern Chinese Han population had the nearest affinity with the Yi ethnic population in Yunnan Province of China.

CONCLUSION

The 20 STR loci are highly polymorphic in this southern Chinese Han population, suggesting the value of this set of STR loci in forensic personal identification, paternity testing and anthropological study.

Sequence-based definition of eight short tandem repeat loci located within the HLA-region in an Austrian population

Sequenced allelic ladders are a prerequisite for reliable genotyping of short tandem repeat (STR) polymorphisms and consistent results across instrument platforms. For eight STR-loci located on the short arm of chromosome 6 (6p21.3), a sequenced based nomenclature was established according to international recommendations. Publicly available reference DNA samples were sequenced enabling interested laboratories to construct their own allelic ladders. Three tetrameric (D6S2691, D6S2678, DQIV), one trimeric (D6S2906) and four dimeric repeat loci (D6S2972, D6S2792, D6S2789, D6S273) were investigated. Apart from the very complex sequence structure at the DQIV locus, three loci showed a compound and four loci a simple repeat pattern. In the flanking regions of some loci additional single nucleotide and insertion/deletion polymorphisms occurred as well as sequence polymorphisms within the repeat region of alleles with the same length. In an Austrian Caucasoid population sample (n=293) between eight and 22 alleles were found. No significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg expectations was observed, the power of discrimination ranged from 0.826 to 0.978. The loci cover the HLA-coding region from HLA-A to HLA-DQB1 and can be used for a better definition of HLA haplotypes for population and disease association studies, recombination point mapping, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation as well as for identity and relationship testing.