The use of minisatellite variant repeat-polymerase chain reaction (MVR-PCR) to determine the source of saliva on a used postage stamp.
In this paper we report the identification of an individual using the MVR-PCR technique on DNA extracted from single and multiple discs (3 mm) punched from a licked stamp attached to an envelope. The individual's code was successfully and uniquely matched to one already present within a database of 500 MVR codes which had been generated in a separate laboratory. The exercise illustrates the suitability of MVR-PCR for forensic samples and demonstrates the power of this rapid and novel identification system.
Hopkins
B
B
Cellmark Diagnostics, Oxfordshire, England.
Williams
N J
NJ
Webb
M B
MB
Debenham
P G
PG
Jeffreys
A J
AJ
D004276:DNA, Satellite; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010678:Philately; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000235:genetics; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D004276:DNA, Satellite