Generation of DNA profiles Flashcards
- Thermo-stable polymerase
- The unzipping enzyme in DNA replication
- This strand is synthesized in fragments
- Used to initiate DNA synthesis
- DNA fragments sealed together by this enzyme
- Will add to free DNA nucleotides
- Thermo-stable polymerase os taq polymerase.
- The unzipping enzyme in DNA replication is helicase.
- The lagging strand is synthesized in fragments.
- Primers are used to initiate DNA synthesis .
- DNA fragments are sealed together by the ligase enzyme.
- DNA polymerasr will add to free DNA nucleotides.
RFLP
Restriction fragment length polymorphisms
- It was the first DNA used for DNA.
- It was good for side-by-side comparisons.
- It used an xray plate to mark where the DNA bands were through radiation.
- These tests were used back in the 1980s and 1990s.
- They took about a month sometimes two or three months to generate a profile.
- Very discriminating.
DQ alpha
- The first PCR-based tests were called HLA DQ - Alpha
- Sometimes referred to as poly-marker
- In these tests the critical information comes from a series of strips which were called test strips.
- In these tests what scientist were looking for was the presence or absence of these blue dots.
- The particular pattern of dots would give us some insight in terms of what sorts of DNA molecules are present in a particular sample.
Improvements of DQ alpha compared to RFLP.
- The first generation of DNA test took blood stain about the size of 50p piece to obtain a result.
- They would often take months to produce – whereas the second -generation tests could work with about 100th of that amount
- DQ Alpha could work with bloodstains were almost too small to be seen by the naked eye
- The results could be generated much more quickly – (half a day).
- Quicker and requires less sample.
DQ alpha versus RFLP
- DQ Alpha was more sensitive, in terms of the amount of starting material that was necessary in order to generate a profile.
- RFLP were not overly good in terms of sensitivity.
- Neither were RFLP overly good in terms of the speed at which profiles could be obtained, they were nevertheless very discriminating.
Multi-Locus Probe
MLP
In 1985 Sir Alec Jeffrey’s developed a form of DNA profiling called Multi-Locus Probe (1985) or MLP.
Whilst MLP was a significant development the method was:
* Lengthy
* Required a large amount of sample to produce a profile
* Results were complex to interpret
Single Locus Probes
SLP
- By 1987 a process called Single Locus Probes or SLP (VNTR) was in routine.
The results were: - Easier to interpret compared to the previous MLP method.
- Initial results could be obtained within a few days although it often took over a week to prepare a full profile
- However, this method still lacked sensitivity
- Gave poor results with degraded samples
- It was also difficult to resolve mixtures containing DNA for more than one person.
- This is when we moved away from gel technology and we moved towards repeating number sequences.
What did RFLP allow?
RFLP tests did enable scientists to assign matching probabilities in the order of one in 1 million or one in 10 million as the chance of a match.
Match probability of DQ alpha
- Statistics would typically be described in terms of one in a few hundred or maybe one in a few thousand.
- DQ Alpha were much better in terms of sensitivity and the time needed to generate a result, but they didn’t deliver as much in terms of discriminating power as the previous RFLP system.
Sensitivity definition
The amount of starting material or the size of the stain we can begin working with.
Discrimination power
Power to distinguish between one thing and another.
What is the criteria for judging the benefits of a DNA profiling system?
- Discriminating power
- Sensitivity
- Ability to deal with artefacts
- Speed
- Ability to deal with mixtures
- Ability to conduct database searches
Artefacts
Artefacts are things that could have got into the DNA profile and contaminated it.
Mitochondrial DNA
- Mitochondrial DNA - more sensitive than the automated STR’s.
- The main reason for this is that whilst every cell within it contains two copies of all of our genetic material; one copy we get from our mother and one from our father
- In each mitochondrial will have multiple copies of what is referred to as mitochondrial DNA.
- Mitochondrial DNA is relatively small, relative to the amount of DNA that is present in the nucleus and so not as much information contained within.
- Nevertheless, it is present in very high copy numbers and so gives us the chance to get a result from even a tiny fraction of a cell.
Mitochondrial DNA drawbacks
- The other drawback with mitochondrial DNA is that all mitochondrial is maternally inherited.
- In simple terms, what this means, is that an individual inherits all of their mitochondria from their mother and her mother in turn obtained all her mitochondria from her mother etc.
- The test are very sensitive but not as discriminating because we know where we find one kind of mitochondrial DNA there will be many more maternal relatives who will share this genetic material.
Y STR
-The focus of these tests is on the Y STR markers which reside on the human Y chromosome.
- Females have two X chromosomes whereas males have an X and Y.
- There is information on the Y chromosome that can be analysed by forensic scientists particularly where we think there is a possibility of a male contributor to an evidence sample.
- It might give us some insight into what that males DNA profile look like without being distracted by things which may have been contributed by a female .
- Helpful feature when we are talking about a mixed sample, for example those with a sexual offence – when we have a large amount of female DNA mixed with a small amount of a suspect.
- There are parallels between Y STR testing and mitochondrial DNA testing. These are, – where is mitochondria are maternally inherited – Y chromosomes are exclusively paternally inherited.
How much DNA do we need?
- The kind of DNA that we leave behind in a fingerprint is roughly 100 cells and is plenty to generate a DNA profile using the widely available commercial DNA assays
- Therefore, we do not need a lot of material to start, and we can obtain a DNA from almost everything that has come into contact with an individual.
- Each cell contains between 6 and 7 pg. of DNA.
- DNA profiling kits generally recommend using between 500 and 1,000 picograms of template DNA which roughly works out to around 100 to 200 cells.
How much DNA do we need now?
- The new DNA 17 multiplex is can generate profiles with much less starting material
- The DNA 17 test requires about 80 cells (around 500 pg.) DNA for a standard result
- DNA profiles have been obtained from as few as 15 cells when these are in good condition.
Number of cells transferred from wearing a garment?
The number of cells which might be transferred by the action of wearing a garment is well over 1,000. At 6 pg. per cell that this will provide more than 6,000 pg. of DNA, easily enough to obtain a full DNA profile.
- DNA that is maternally inherited?
- The threshold of detection with DNA 17 is in the region of?
- 1 millionth of a litre?
- Quantity of DNA left behind in a finger mark?
- Synonymous with DQ alpha?
- Paternally inherited DNA sequences can be found here?
- DNA that is maternally inherited is mitochondtial.
- The threshold of detection with DNA 17 is in the region of 500pg.
- 1 millionth of a litre is a microlitre.
- Quantity of DNA left behind in a finger mark is arounf 100 cells.
- Synonymous with DQ alpha is polymarkers.
- Paternally inherited DNA sequences can be found in Y-STR.
Polymorphism
- Regions od DNA which greatly differ from person to person.
- The non-coding parts of the DNA.
Why does DNA differ from person to person?
- Simply because the DNA in that region is likely to come in many different forms and sizes.
- There are many areas of the DNA genome which are the same between individuals, for example those which code for eyes and hair and limbs etc.
- These areas are not going to be any use for distinguishing between people and so we would need to focus on the polymorphic areas which are likely to be different.
What do we mean by locus/loci?
- Loci reside on specific parts of the chromosome.
- It is a specifc spot we pay attention to on the length of a persons DNA sequence.
What are markers?
- Markers are the points we’re looking at that have variation.
- They have different known frequencies at different locations.
Allele
- Allele is a term used to describe a specific region of DNA which varies between people.
- At each locus we will see two alleles (assuming heterozygous).
- One alleles inherited from each parent.
Discrimination power in terms of alleles
- What’s the chance of the allele being at that location in relation to the channel population.
- The discrimination powe is the ability to determine the probability of an allele being present at that location.
PCR in depth
- We target and amplify the STR markers in the sample.
- The process of PCR requires the generation of two specific primer sequences that are complementary to a sequence of DNA upstream and downstream of the STR marker of interest (these are often called “forward” and “reverse” primers). Attached to one of the primers is a fluorescent dye.
- The FAM fluorescent dye is one of the most commonly used dyes and will emit a colour signal in the blue portion of the visible spectrum.
- With each cycle of PCR, the targeted amplicons (the products of PCR) are copied through a process in which the double-stranded DNA is opened,
- The primers bind to their targeted sequences,
- An enzyme (Taq polymerase) then extends the newly formed sister strand.
- The resulting product is two copies of DNA from the one initial amplicon. This is repeated over and over, and with each cycle, the amount of targeted DNA within the sample is doubled (an exponential amplification). At the end of the PCR process, millions of amplicons are generated, all having the blue FAM dye attached.
First step in automated STR testing?
- When we are doing DNA testing the objective is to get to DNA – genetic material from a reference sample and compare this to a crime scene sample.
- The first step in this process is to extract and purify the DNA from both of these two different types of material (the reference sample and the crime sample).