Forensic Genomics Flashcards
How has DNA analysis changed across the years?
- Transitioned from 16 to 24 autosomal STRs for normal profiling- aids cross-border NDNAD searches
- Introduction of rapidly mutating Y-STRs to Y-STR sets has enhanced identification of male relatives
- Big increases in sensitivity now require likelihood-based interpretation of complex (mixed) profiles
- Tissue-source identification is moving from cytology to RNA analysis (can be co-extracted with DNA)
- SNPs and INDELS are increasingly being added to STR/mtDNA typing to analyse very degraded DNA
- Contact traces not matched to NDNAD records can be tested for extra genetic data (ancestry, appearance, age)
- The roll-out of dedicated MPS systems has taken place in the last 10 years
A sequencing-Genomics historic timeline
A sequencing-Genomics historic timeline continued…
How are human chromosomes arranged?
Human chromosomes are arranged as p=short arm, q=long
– the only species with this pattern
Tell me about the strands in DNA
What are short genetic variations and define each one?
- SNPs and INDELs used for identification purposes like ancestry and in a phenotypic concept
- SNPs, INDELs and STRs are short genetic variations all bought together in DNA database
SNPs: Single nucleotide polymorphisms, frequently called SNPs (pronounced “snips”), are the most common type of genetic variation among people. Each SNP represents a difference in a single DNA building block, called a nucleotide. For example, a SNP may replace the nucleotide cytosine (C) with the nucleotide thymine (T) in a certain stretch of DNA.
INDELS:Indel is a molecular biology term for an insertion or deletion of bases in the genome of an organism.
STRs:Short tandem repeats (STRs), also known as microsatellites or simple sequence repeats, are shorl tandemly repeated DNA sequences that involve a repetitive unit of 1-6 bp, forming series with lengths of up to 100 nucleotides
Nucleotide substitutions occurs in sequences, and they become SNP polymorphisms in what situation?
When they are fixed in a population
INDELS
What does the dbSNP carry information on?
dpSNP: The Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Database is a free public archive for genetic variation within and across different species developed and hosted by the National Center for Biotechnology Information in collaboration with the National Human Genome Research Institute
dbSNP continued
How do we know where each of the chromosomes are?
Two main current human genome assemblies onto which all human sequence variation is mapped and has ‘map coordinates (Chr Pos)’
* All chromosome builds start with chromosome 1 and nucleotide 1
* Different in end chromosome as seen above just accounts for newly discovered things like indels, transitions etc
* Chromosome 14, SNP has different chromosome position between each build, each coordinate applied in different scenarios, useful for different position you may be interested in
We have now moved to more simplified mapping of SNPs…
When was the first human SNP map published?
2001 by the Human Genome mapping project
What are the different types of SNPs for forensic applications and what are the sub-groups?
Identity testing SNPs
- II-SNPs
- ID-SNPs
Lineage informative SNPs
- LI-SNPs
- Microhaplotypes
Ancestry informative SNPs
- AI-SNPs
- AIM-SNPs
Phenotype informative SNPs
- PI-SNPs
- EVC-SNPs
What can SNPs be amplified from?
Much shorter DNA fragments
How mant STRs are known to give global uniqueness
24 STRs give unique profiles
Low level DNA is better amplified by STRs or SNPs?
STRs
(however we now have MPS which is much better)
Are SNPs fast?
Yes
Are STRs good for mixtures?
STRs are multiple alleles so better opportunity to de-convolute mixed profiles as dealing with polymorphisms as only 2 alleles
SNPs are uninformative for mixed profiles but STRs are better for mixed DNA
The 911 victim ID was the pilot program for short-amplicon tests. Tell me about this test
- 72 SNP loci used
- Amplified fragments of roughly 100bp
- Small multiplexes of 6 SNPs
- SNPs given 12 extra identifications
- Most remains now fail to work with any analytical technique
- 46% of victims still not identified and 63% of remains
Whats a main CE system?
SNaPshot main CE system- a single base extension reaction
-
ExoSAP= remove primers from PCR
* SAO= remove unattached nucleotides with dyes as causes noise in Electropherogram - Size and extended fragments show different sizes in SNPs, indels are the same height
For places which may not have access to expensive and complex MPS systems, what can be used to identify bases?
Non-human pigtails
- Standard technique for those who don’t have access to expensive and complex MPS systems
- Simple primer at SNP site, dye link for different bases, attach to SNP site as single base extension of annealed primer, terminate sequence, dye show what base is attached to the SNP alleles
- *Get better steps for this
- To separate fragments: primers (hard after 24 primers), or non-human pigtail (alters fragment size, allows for short and long pigtails to separate fragments based on oligo sequences)
How can indels also be analysed?
Do SNP genotyping tests work well with highly degraded DNA?
What are the two techniques which can be used for DNA preparation
MiSeq and Thermofisher
Explain the MiSeq method for DNA preparation
Explain the Thermofisher method for DNA preparation
Tell me about Forensic DNA phenotyping (FDP) with SNPs