title: Factors affecting peak height variability for short tandem repeat data.
abstract: In forensic DNA analysis a DNA extract is amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), separated using capillary electrophoresis and the resulting DNA products are detected using fluorescence. Sampling variation occurs when the DNA molecules are aliquotted during the PCR setup stage and this translates to variability in peak heights in the resultant electropherogram or between electropherograms generated from a DNA extract. Beyond the variability caused by sampling variation it has been observed that there are factors in generating the DNA profile that can contribute to the magnitude of variability observed, most notably the number of PCR cycles. In this study we investigate a number of factors in the generation of a DNA profile to determine which contribute to levels of peak height variability.
authors.affiliation: Forensic Science South Australia, 21 Divett Place, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia. Electronic address: Duncan.Taylor@sa.gov.au.
authors.forename: Duncan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: ESR, Private Bag 92021, Auckland 1142, New Zealand; National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, MS 8980 and 8314, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, United States of America.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buckleton
authors.affiliation: ESR, Private Bag 92021, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Jo-Anne
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bright
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting / Q000379:methods*; D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary; D053803:Forensic Genetics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004247:DNA
keywords: Peak height variability; STR; STRmix; Stochastic effects