DNA typing of Fingerprints and Skin Debris: Sensitivity of Capillary Electrophoresis in Forensic Applications using Multiplex PCR

Abstract

DNA fingerprinting was performed on fingerprints and skin debris left on hafts and grips of tools, bags and clothes. Different multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used allowing simultaneous amplification, detection and analysis of in total fifteen polymorphic Short Tandem Repeat (STR) loci, including the thirteen STR fragments recommended and used by the FBI for the CODIS program. Capillary electrophoresis with automated laser fluorescence detection was used to detect four fluorescent dyes, enabling the use of an internal lane standard within each sample. These results show that DNA fingerprinting can in this way replace the routinely used fingerprint analysis by powder or spray, which in many cases inhibits DNA analysis.