基于DNA甲基化的年龄推断

DNA Methylation-based Age Inference:Case Report

通过现场血斑进行个体年龄推断是犯罪现场分析中的难题。DNA甲基化为这一问题的解决提供了一种可能性,作为基因组中胞嘧啶上的一种共价修饰,其被认为是目前用于年龄推断准确性最高的一种分子标记。本文利用实验室前期研究建立的年龄推断方法,通过检测9个甲基化位点,对一起积案中保存9年的血斑样本检测并成功推断出了血斑来源个体的年龄,与案犯实际年龄几乎一致。基于DNA甲基化的年龄推断在该案例的成功应用,证明基于DNA甲基化的年龄推断方法对于案件侦破具有一定的应用价值和指导意义。

Inferring an individual’s age from sole bloodstain is difficult in crime scene analysis.DNA methylation,the covalent modification of cytosine in genomic DNA,provides a possibility for solving the above-indicated problem,therewith being boasted as the current most accurate molecular marker for age inference.This paper was about using the DNA methylation-based age inference that has been established through our laboratory’s recent researches,so as to have successfully inferred the age of the donor of one bloodstain stored for 9 years.The inferred age is nearly consistent with the actual age of the offender.Such a successful application,exampling with the here-reported case solved through age inference based on DNA methylation,proves that the DNA methylation-based age inference is feasible for case investigation,providing a new technical choice for personal age inference about cases.