Human identification by lice: A Next Generation Sequencing challenge.
Rapid and progressive advances in molecular biology techniques and the advent of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) have opened new possibilities for analyses also in the identification of entomological matrixes. Insects and other arthropods are widespread in nature and those found at a crime scene can provide a useful contribution to forensic investigations. Entomological evidence is used by experts to define the postmortem interval (PMI), which is essentially based on morphological recognition of the insect and an estimation of its insect life cycle stage. However, molecular genotyping methods can also provide an important support for forensic entomological investigations when the identification of species or human genetic material is required. This case study concerns a collection of insects found in the house of a woman who died from unknown causes. Initially the insects were identified morphologically as belonging to the Pediculidae family, and then, human DNA was extracted and analyzed from their gastrointestinal tract. The application of the latest generation forensic DNA assays, such as the Quantifiler(®) Trio DNA Quantification Kit and the HID-Ion AmpliSeq™ Identity Panel (Applied Biosystems(®)), individuated the presence of human DNA in the samples and determined the genetic profile.
Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, via del Proconsolo 12, 50122 Firenze, Italy. Electronic address: elena.pilli@unifi.it.
Elena
E
Pilli
Life Sciences Solutions, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Via Tiepolo 1, 20090 Monza, Italy.
Alessandro
A
Agostino
Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica, Medicina Sperimentale e Forense, Università di Pavia, Viale Forlanini, 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
Debora
D
Vergani
Reparto Carabinieri Investigazioni Scientifiche di Roma, Sezione di Biologia, viale Tor di Quinto 119, Roma, Italy.
Elena
E
Salata
Reparto Carabinieri Investigazioni Scientifiche di Roma, Sezione di Biologia, viale Tor di Quinto 119, Roma, Italy.
Ignazio
I
Ciuna
Reparto Carabinieri Investigazioni Scientifiche di Roma, Sezione di Biologia, viale Tor di Quinto 119, Roma, Italy.
Andrea
A
Berti
Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, via del Proconsolo 12, 50122 Firenze, Italy.
David
D
Caramelli
Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica, Medicina Sperimentale e Forense, Università di Pavia, Viale Forlanini, 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
Simonetta
S
Lambiase
D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000737:chemistry*; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; D006801:Humans; D010373:Lice Infestations; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D010374:Pediculus / Q000737:chemistry*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
D004247:DNA
Forensic casework; Forensic entomology; Human identification; Next Generation Sequencing; Pediculus humanus capitis; SNPs profile