title: A potential new diagnostic tool to aid DNA analysis from heat compromised bone using colorimetry: A preliminary study.
abstract: Extracting viable DNA from many forensic sample types can be very challenging, as environmental conditions may be far from optimal with regard to DNA preservation. Consequently, skeletal tissue can often be an invaluable source of DNA. The bone matrix provides a hardened material that encapsulates DNA, acting as a barrier to environmental insults that would otherwise be detrimental to its integrity. However, like all forensic samples, DNA in bone can still become degraded in extreme conditions, such as intense heat. Extracting DNA from bone can be laborious and time-consuming. Thus, a lot of time and money can be wasted processing samples that do not ultimately yield viable DNA. We describe the use of colorimetry as a novel diagnostic tool that can assist DNA analysis from heat-treated bone. This study focuses on characterizing changes in the material and physical properties of heated bone, and their correlation with digitally measured color variation. The results demonstrate that the color of bone, which serves as an indicator of the chemical processes that have occurred, can be correlated with the success or failure of subsequent DNA amplification.
authors.affiliation: Cranfield Forensic Institute, Cranfield University, Shrivenham SN6 8LA, United Kingdom. Electronic address: jfredericks@hotmail.co.uk.
authors.forename: Jamie D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Fredericks
authors.affiliation: Department of Informatics and Systems Engineering, Cranfield University, Shrivenham SN6 8LA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Trevor J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Ringrose
authors.affiliation: Cranfield Forensic Institute, Cranfield University, Shrivenham SN6 8LA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dicken
authors.affiliation: Cranfield Forensic Institute, Cranfield University, Shrivenham SN6 8LA, United Kingdom. Electronic address: a.willaims@cranfield.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Micropathology Limited, The Venture Centre, University of Warwick Science Park, Coventry, West Midlands CV4 7EZ, United Kingdom. Electronic address: p.bennett@micropathology.com.
authors.forename: Phil
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bennett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry*; D002056:Burns; D002417:Cattle; D003124:Colorimetry; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D005390:Fires; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004247:DNA
keywords: Burnt bone; Color; DNA profiling; Diagnostic tool; PCR