DNA Recovery and Analysis from Skeletal Material in Modern Forensic Contexts

Overview

Journal Forensic Sci Res

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Forensic Sciences

Date 2019 Mar 28

PMID 30915417

Citations 19

Authors

Krista E Latham

Jessica J Miller

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The generation of a DNA profile from skeletal remains is an important part of the identification process in both mass disaster and unidentified person cases. Since bones and teeth are often the only biological materials remaining after exposure to environmental conditions, intense heat, certain traumatic events and in cases where a significant amount of time has passed since the death of the individual, the ability to purify large quantities of informative DNA from these hard tissues would be beneficial. Since sampling the hard tissues for genetic analysis is a destructive process, it is important to understand those environmental and intrinsic factors that contribute to DNA preservation. This will serve as a brief introduction to these topics, since skeletal sampling strategies and molecular taphonomy have been discussed in depth elsewhere. Additionally advances in skeletal DNA extraction and analysis will be discussed. Currently there is great variation in the DNA isolation methods used by laboratories to purify DNA from the hard tissues; however, a standardized set of short tandem repeat (STR) loci is analyzed by many US laboratories to allow for comparisons across samples and jurisdictions. Recent advances have allowed for the generation of DNA profiles from smaller quantities of template DNA and have expanded the number of loci analyzed for greater discriminatory power and predictions regarding the geographic ancestry and phenotype of the individual. Finally, utilizing databases and expanding the number of comparison samples will be discussed in light of their role in the identification process.

Citing Articles

Disaster victim identification: the co-utilisation of applied biosystems RapidHIT ID system and DJI Matrice 300 drone for onsite DNA analysis.

Mohd Sabri N, Sheikh Abdul Kadir S, Chainchel Singh M, Heo C, Khoo L, Mohd Yusof M Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1):4872.

PMID: 39929911 PMC: 11811220. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-88750-6.

Exploring the Potential of Genome-Wide Hybridization Capture Enrichment for Forensic DNA Profiling of Degraded Bones.

Haarkotter C, Roca-Rada X, Saiz M, Vinueza-Espinosa D, Galvez X, Medina-Lozano M Genes (Basel). 2025; 16(1).

PMID: 39858570 PMC: 11764906. DOI: 10.3390/genes16010023.

12 real forensic cases solved by the DNA STR-typing of skeletal remains exposed to extreme environment conditions, without the conventional bone pulverization step.

Della Rocca C, Piras G, Berti A, Mameli A Int J Legal Med. 2024; 139(2):509-518.

PMID: 39672942 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-024-03389-8.

Patellae as a source of DNA in forensic and archaeological analysis.

Gersak Z, Golob A, Kravanja P, Concato M, Leskovar T, Zupanic Pajnic I Int J Legal Med. 2024; 139(2):473-482.

PMID: 39514086 PMC: 11850498. DOI: 10.1007/s00414-024-03363-4.

Indirect DNA Transfer and Forensic Implications: A Literature Review.

Sessa F, Pomara C, Esposito M, Grassi P, Cocimano G, Salerno M Genes (Basel). 2023; 14(12).

PMID: 38136975 PMC: 10742555. DOI: 10.3390/genes14122153.

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