title: RNA/DNA co-analysis from human skin and contact traces--results of a sixth collaborative EDNAP exercise.
abstract: The European DNA profiling group (EDNAP) organized a sixth collaborative exercise on RNA/DNA co-analysis for body fluid/tissue identification and STR profiling. The task was to identify skin samples/contact traces using specific RNA biomarkers and test three housekeeping genes for their suitability as reference genes. Eight stains, a skin RNA dilution series and, optionally, bona fide or mock casework samples of human or non-human origin were analyzed by 22 participating laboratories using RNA extraction or RNA/DNA co-extraction methods. Two sets of previously described skin-specific markers were used: skin1 pentaplex (LCE1C, LCE1D, LCE2D, IL1F7 and CCL27) and skin2 triplex (LOR, KRT9 and CDSN) in conjunction with a housekeeping gene, HKG, triplex (B2M, UBC and UCE). The laboratories used different chemistries and instrumentation. All laboratories were able to successfully isolate and detect mRNA in contact traces (e.g., human skin, palm-, hand- and fingerprints, clothing, car interiors, computer accessories and electronic devices). The simultaneous extraction of RNA and DNA provides an opportunity for positive identification of the tissue source of origin by mRNA profiling as well as a simultaneous identification of the body fluid donor by STR profiling. The skin markers LCE1C and LOR and the housekeeping gene marker B2M were detected in the majority of contact traces. Detection of the other markers was inconsistent, possibly due to the low amounts and/or poor quality of the genetic material present in shed skin cells. The results of this and the previous collaborative RNA exercises support RNA profiling as a reliable body fluid/tissue identification method that can easily be combined with current STR typing technology.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Universität Zürich, Switzerland. Electronic address: cordula.haas@irm.uzh.ch.
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authors.affiliation: National Center for Forensic Science, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA.
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authors.affiliation: Bundeskriminalamt, Wiesbaden, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Banemann
authors.affiliation: Forensic Genetic and Biology Service, National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Coimbra, Portugal.
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authors.lastname: Bento
authors.affiliation: Carabinieri Scientific Department of Rome, Genetic Unit, Italy.
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authors.affiliation: Genomic Medicine Group, Unit of Forensic Genetics, Institute of Forensic Science, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
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authors.lastname: Carracedo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Bonn, Germany.
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authors.affiliation: National Institute for Criminalistics and Criminology, Brussels, Belgium.
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authors.affiliation: National Forensic Laboratory, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Auckland, New Zealand.
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authors.affiliation: Carabinieri Scientific Department of Rome, Genetic Unit, Italy.
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authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Germany.
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authors.affiliation: National Forensic Laboratory, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: S A
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authors.affiliation: Section of Forensic Genetics, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
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authors.lastname: Hjort
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Strasbourg, France.
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authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Biology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
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authors.lastname: Hoff-Olsen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Strasbourg, France.
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authors.affiliation: Subdivision of Biological and Biochemical Examinations and Analyses, F.S.D., Hellenic Police, Athens, Greece.
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authors.lastname: Kondili
authors.affiliation: Genomic Medicine Group, Unit of Forensic Genetics, Institute of Forensic Science, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
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authors.affiliation: Centre for Forensic Science, Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
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authors.affiliation: Subdivision of Biological and Biochemical Examinations and Analyses, F.S.D., Hellenic Police, Athens, Greece.
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authors.affiliation: Section of Forensic Genetics, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
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authors.lastname: Morling
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University, Austria.
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authors.affiliation: National Institute for Criminalistics and Criminology, Brussels, Belgium.
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authors.affiliation: Orchid Cellmark Ltd., Abingdon, UK.
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authors.lastname: Roeder
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: E
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authors.lastname: Sauer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Biology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
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authors.lastname: Shanthan
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Biological Traces, Netherlands Forensic Institute, The Hague, The Netherlands.
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authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy and Forensic Science, King's College London, UK.
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authors.lastname: Syndercombe Court
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Science, Slovenska Lupca, Slovakia.
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authors.lastname: Turanská
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Biological Traces, Netherlands Forensic Institute, The Hague, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
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authors.lastname: van den Berge
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, Medical School Hannover, Germany; Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Münster, Germany.
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authors.lastname: Vennemann
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy and Forensic Science, King's College London, UK.
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authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vidaki
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Science, Slovenska Lupca, Slovakia.
authors.forename: L
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mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D053803:Forensic Genetics; D006801:Humans; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis*; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA
keywords: Contact traces; EDNAP exercise; Forensic science; RNA/DNA co-extraction; Skin; Tissue identification; mRNA profiling