title: DNA profiles from clothing fibers using direct PCR.
abstract: We report on the successful use of direct PCR amplification of single fibers from items of worn clothing. Items of clothing were worn throughout the course of a day, with the individual commencing regular activities. Single fibers were taken from the cuff of the clothing at regular intervals and amplified directly. The same areas were subjected to tape-lifting, and also amplified directly for comparison. The NGM™ kit that amplifies 15 STR loci plus amelogenin was used. A total of 35 single fiber samples were processed and analyzed from five items of clothing, with 81 % of samples returning a profile of 14 alleles or more. All tape-lift samples amplified directly produced DNA profiles of 15 alleles or more. The aim was to develop a simple, operational method that could be used routinely in forensic science casework and that has the potential to generate more complete profiles, which would not be detected using standard extraction methods on this type of sample. For ease of implementation, the process also adheres to standard methods with no increase in the cycle number.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia. renee.blackie@flinders.edu.au.
authors.forename: Renée
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blackie
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.|Forensic Science South Australia, Divett Place, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
authors.forename: Duncan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Linacre
mesh_terms: D003020:Clothing; D004247:DNA / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004247:DNA
keywords: Direct PCR; Forensic science; NGM STR loci; Single fibers