title: Comparative analysis of human mitochondrial DNA from World War I bone samples by DNA sequencing and ESI-TOF mass spectrometry.
abstract: Mitochondrial DNA is commonly used in identity testing for the analysis of old or degraded samples or to give evidence of familial links. The Abbott T5000 mass spectrometry platform provides an alternative to the more commonly used Sanger sequencing for the analysis of human mitochondrial DNA. The robustness of the T5000 system has previously been demonstrated using DNA extracted from volunteer buccal swabs but the system has not been tested using more challenging sample types. For mass spectrometry to be considered as a valid alternative to Sanger sequencing it must also be demonstrated to be suitable for use with more limiting sample types such as old teeth, bone fragments, and hair shafts. In 2009 the Commonwealth War Graves Commission launched a project to identify the remains of 250 World War I soldiers discovered in a mass grave in Fromelles, France. This study characterises the performance of both Sanger sequencing and the T5000 platform for the analysis of the mitochondrial DNA extracted from 225 of these remains, both in terms of the ability to amplify and characterise DNA regions of interest and the relative information content and ease-of-use associated with each method.
authors.affiliation: LGC Limited, Queens Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LY, UK. rebecca.howard@lgc.co.uk
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: Vesela
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Encheva
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bache
authors.forename: Yuen-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cowen
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Debenham
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.forename: Jens-Uwe
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: Elaina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krishan
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ojo
authors.forename: Sid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stokes
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barallon
mesh_terms: D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods*; D047828:World War I
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial