title: Comparative diagnoses of twin zygosity by SSLP variant analysis, questionnaire, and dermatoglyphic analysis.
abstract: Zygosity diagnosis has been performed in 79 pairs of twins using three methods. Simple sequence repeat length polymorphism (SSLP) analysis allows an efficient classification (MZ or DZ) with only a few markers following a simplified technique of extraction and amplification. A method based on a full questionnaire completed by parents about twin similarity correctly classifies 97.46% of the pairs; 92.41% are correctly classified using only four questions as suggested by logistic regression analysis. The third method, using dermatoglyphic analyses, correctly classifies 86.76% of pairs. To lower the cost of DNA diagnosis we stress the possibility of limiting its use to pairs with scores in the overlap area between MZ and DZ twins with a validated questionnaire.
authors.affiliation: URA 1294 CNRS Génétique Neurogénétique et Comportement, Université Paris V René Descartes, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spitz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moutier
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Busnel
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marchaland
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Roubertoux
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carlier
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003878:Dermatoglyphics; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic / Q000235:genetics*; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic / Q000235:genetics*