Implications for DNA identification arising from an analysis of Australian forensic databases.
Previous analyses of Australian samples have suggested that populations of the same broad racial group (Caucasian, Asian, Aboriginal) tend to be genetically similar across states. This suggests that a single national Australian database for each such group may be feasible, which would greatly facilitate casework. We have investigated samples drawn from each of these groups in different Australian states, and have quantified the genetic homogeneity across states within each racial group in terms of the "coancestry coefficient" F(ST). In accord with earlier results, we find that F(ST) values, as estimated from these data, are very small for Caucasians and Asians, usually <0.5%. We find that "declared" Aborigines (which includes many with partly Aboriginal genetic heritage) are also genetically similar across states, although they display some differentiation from a "pure" Aboriginal population (almost entirely of Aboriginal genetic heritage).
Ayres
Karen L
KL
School of Applied Statistics, The University of Reading, P.O. Box 240, Earley Gate, UK. k.l.ayres@reading.ac.uk
Chaseling
Janet
J
Balding
David J
DJ
D001315:Australia; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D030541:Databases, Genetic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006801:Humans; D020080:Tandem Repeat Sequences / Q000235:genetics; D044465:White People