title: Sex identification of forensic specimens by polymerase chain reaction (PCR): two alternative methods.
abstract: Sex identification of forensic samples (bloodstains and decomposed tissue) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was investigated. Amplification of a segment of the amelogenin gene using a pair of primers revealed both Y- and X-specific bands at the same time. The gene has counterparts in both the X and Y chromosomes and a small deletion in the former made it possible to distinguish them. Analysis of the X-specific band is the most reliable method for sex identification. THe locus includes a single copy gene so a sample of 250 ng/tube of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is required for identification. Amplification of part of the DYZ1 locus was attempted as an alternative method for analysis of infinitesimal amounts of sample. Even DNA from putrefied tissue could be analyzed by PCR because the locus consists of thousands of copies of repeating units pHY10.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Shimane Medical University, Izumo, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akane
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shiono
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakahori
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagafuchi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakagome
mesh_terms: D053523:Amelogenin; D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D003746:Dental Enamel Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009132:Muscles / Q000737:chemistry; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D012732:Sex Determination Analysis; D014960:X Chromosome; D014998:Y Chromosome
chemical_list: D053523:Amelogenin; D003746:Dental Enamel Proteins; D004247:DNA