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DNA mixture interpretation principles: insights from the NIST scientific foundation review

Published

Author(s)

John Butler, Hariharan K. Iyer, Richard A. Press, Melissa Taylor, Peter Vallone, Sheila Willis

Abstract

DNA mixture interpretation has become more challenging in recent years due to several factors including submission of more touch evidence samples to aid investigations and generation of more sensitive DNA test results with new STR typing kits. This sensitivity enables recovery of DNA results from low quantities of biological material. However, the PCR signal amplification process, which provides the DNA test sensitivity, also introduces artifacts into the resulting data including stutter products as well as allele drop-out, allele drop-in, and heterozygote imbalance that occur due to stochastic effects. These artifacts combined with allele sharing among contributors make separating the contributing genotypes difficult and therefore influence uncertainty related to the both the interpretation process and associating potential contributors with the mixture. Probabilistic genotyping software programs are being implemented in many laboratories to aid evaluation of low-template DNA results either from single-source samples or trace components of mixtures.
Proceedings Title
Proceedings of the 29th International Symposium on Human Identification
Conference Dates
September 24-27, 2018
Conference Location
Phoenix, AZ, US

Keywords

forensic DNA, DNA mixture interpretation, NIST scientific foundation review

Citation

Butler, J. , Iyer, H. , Press, R. , Taylor, M. , Vallone, P. and Willis, S. (2020), DNA mixture interpretation principles: insights from the NIST scientific foundation review, Proceedings of the 29th International Symposium on Human Identification, Phoenix, AZ, US (Accessed December 12, 2024)

Issues

If you have any questions about this publication or are having problems accessing it, please contact reflib@nist.gov.

Created July 1, 2020, Updated March 26, 2024