Genetic Analysis of 15 STR Loci in Chinese Han Population from West China

Allele frequencies for 15 short tandem repeat （STR） loci （D8S1179, D21S11, D7S820, CSFIPO, D3S1358, TH01, D13S317, D16S539, D2S1338, D19S433, vWA, TPOX, D18S51, D5S818, and FGA） were obtained from 7,636 unrelated individuals of Chinese Han population living in Qinghai and Chongqing, China. Totally 206 alleles were observed, with the corresponding allele frequencies ranging from 0.0001-0.4982. Chi-square test showed that all of the STR loci agreed with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. We also compared our data with previously published population data of other ethnics or areas. The results are valuable for human identification and paternity testing in Chinese Han population.

Allelic frequency distributions of 21 non-combined DNA index system STR loci in a Russian ethnic minority group from Inner Mongolia,China

We studied the allelic frequency distributions and statistical forensic parameters of 21 new short tandem repeat(STR)loci and the amelogenin locus,which are not included in the combined DNA index system(CODIS),in a Russian ethnic minority group from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,China.A total of 114 bloodstain samples from unrelated individuals were extracted and co-amplified with four fluorescence-labeled primers in a multiplex polymerase chain reaction(PCR)system.Using capillary electrophoresis,the PCR products of the 21 STR loci were separated and genotyped.A total of 161 alleles were observed in the Russian ethnic minority group,and corresponding allelic frequencies ranged from 0.0044 to 0.5965.The 21 non-CODIS STR loci of the Russian ethnic minority group were characterized by high genetic diversity and therefore may be useful for elucidating the population's genetic background,for individual identification,and for paternity testing in forensic practice.

PRELIMINARY DNA IDENTIFICATION FOR THE TSUNAMI VICTIMS IN THAI-LAND

The 2004 Southeast Asia Tsunami killed nearly 5,400 people in Southern Thailand, including foreign tourists and local residents. To recover DNA evidence as much as possible from the seriously decomposed bodies, we explored procedures of sample preparation from both bone and tooth samples as well as both mitochondrial and nuclear markers. Despite having failed to recover enough DNA for nuclear marker typing, we succeeded in obtaining fully informative results for mitochondrial markers （HV1 and HV2） from 258 tooth samples with a success rate of 51% （258/507）. Using an organic DNA extraction method coupled with an ultrafiltration step, we obtained 16 STR （including 13 CODIS loci, one sex discrimination locus, and two Identifiler loci） profiles for 834 samples with a success rate of 79% （834/1,062）. In addition, by comparing the allelic frequencies between the typed samples as a group and other index populations, we conclude that the Thai tsunami victims are a combined group of several populations. Our results provide valuable evidence and protocols for the future forensic practice.

Genetic polymorphism analyses of a novel panel of 19 X-STR loci in the Chinese Uygur ethnic minority

The population genetic data and forensic parameters of 19 X-chromosome short tandem repeat （X-STR） loci in Chinese Uygur ethnic minority are presented. These loci were detected in a sample of 233 （94 males and 139 females） unrelated healthy individuals. We observed 238 alleles at the 19 X-STR loci, with the corresponding gene frequencies spanning the range from 0.0021 to 0.5644. After Bonferroni correction （P〉0.0026）, there were no signif- icant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The cumulative power of discrimination in females and males, and the probability of exclusion of the 19 X-STR loci were 0.999 999 999 999 999 999 998 091,0.999 999 999 999 966, and 0.999 999 986 35, respectively. The cumulative mean exclusion chance was 0.999 999 992 849 in deficiency cases, 0.999 999 999 999 628 in normal trios, and 0.999 999 998 722 in duo cases. The high value of the forensic parameters mentioned above revealed that the novel panel of 19 loci had important values for forensic applications in the LJygur group.