2006 GEP-ISFG collaborative exercise on mtDNA: reflections about interpretation, artefacts, and DNA mixtures.
We report the results of the seventh edition of the GEP-ISFG mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) collaborative exercise. The samples submitted to the participant laboratories were blood stains from a maternity case and simulated forensic samples, including a case of mixture. The success rate for the blood stains was moderate ( approximately 77%); even though four inexperienced laboratories concentrated about one-third of the total errors. A similar success was obtained for the analysis of mixed samples (78.8% for a hair-saliva mixture and 69.2% for a saliva-saliva mixture). Two laboratories also dissected the haplotypes contributing to the saliva-saliva mixture. Most of the errors were due to reading problems and misinterpretation of electropherograms, demonstrating once more that the lack of a solid devised experimental approach is the main cause of error in mtDNA testing.
Prieto
L
L
Comisaría General de Policía Científica, DNA Laboratory, Madrid, Spain. lourditasmt@ya.com
Alonso
A
A
Alves
C
C
Crespillo
M
M
Montesino
M
M
Picornell
A
A
Brehm
A
A
Ramírez
J L
JL
Whittle
M R
MR
Anjos
M J
MJ
Boschi
I
I
Buj
J
J
Cerezo
M
M
Cardoso
S
S
Cicarelli
R
R
Comas
D
D
Corach
D
D
Doutremepuich
C
C
Espinheira
R M
RM
Fernández-Fernández
I
I
Filippini
S
S
Garcia-Hirschfeld
Julia
J
González
A
A
Heinrichs
B
B
Hernández
A
A
Leite
F P N
FP
Lizarazo
R P
RP
López-Parra
A M
AM
López-Soto
M
M
Lorente
J A
JA
Mechoso
B
B
Navarro
I
I
Pagano
S
S
Pestano
J J
JJ
Puente
J
J
Raimondi
E
E
Rodríguez-Quesada
A
A
Terra-Pinheiro
M F
MF
Vidal-Rioja
L
L
Vullo
C
C
Salas
A
A
D016477:Artifacts; D001801:Blood Stains; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000592:standards*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting / Q000592:standards*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011786:Quality Control; D012015:Reference Standards; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry
D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D005819:Genetic Markers; D004247:DNA