1
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Leuenberger N, Jan N, Kuuranne T, Castella V. Characterization of DNA concentration in urine and dried blood samples to detect the c.577 deletion within the EPO gene. Drug Test Anal 2024. [PMID: 38247130 DOI: 10.1002/dta.3647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
The EPO gene variant, c.577del (VAR-EPO), was discovered in the Chinese population in 2021. The mutated protein is naturally present in urine from individuals heterozygous for the variant. Electrophoresis methods currently applied in anti-doping laboratories produce a pattern in samples from individuals carrying VAR-EPO that cannot be unambiguously distinguished from individuals who received recombinant EPO doses. Consequently, the analysis of blood samples is obligatory to facilitate interpretation of suspicious findings from urine samples. However, this complicates the process and delays the reporting. Objective of this study was to develop EPO c.577del detection in urine and dried blood samples (DBS) in order to facilitate and accelerate EPO results management. Moreover, estimation of the success rate of sequencing regarding concentration of DNA in urine and DBS was evaluated. Conclusive results regarding Sanger sequencing were obtained for all samples with DNA concentrations above 0.024 ng/μL DNA in 80% of urines samples from volunteers. The potential success of DNA sequencing rate in athletes' urines was investigated. A total of 191 urine samples were considered. DNA concentration exceeding 0.024 ng/μL was detected in 85% of the samples. Interestingly, in-competition samples had a significantly higher DNA concentration than out-of-competition male urine samples (0.330 vs. 0.084 ng/μL). Moreover, conclusive EPO sequences were obtained for 100% of DBS (cellulose and polymer matrices). In conclusion, method for detection of EPO gene variant was developed in urine and DBS. Characterization of DNA concentration was performed in order to evaluate the probability of success of sequencing EPO gene in anti-doping field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Leuenberger
- Swiss Laboratory for Doping Analyses, University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne and Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Jan
- Swiss Laboratory for Doping Analyses, University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne and Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tiia Kuuranne
- Swiss Laboratory for Doping Analyses, University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne and Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Vincent Castella
- Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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2
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Carrara L, Hicks T, Samie L, Taroni F, Castella V. DNA transfer when using gloves in burglary simulations. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2023; 63:102823. [PMID: 36563530 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2022.102823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Several studies have demonstrated that DNA can be indirectly transferred from an individual onto a surface. Therefore, the presence of DNA that is compatible with a given person does not necessarily mean that this person has touched the surface on which the DNA was recovered. The present work simulates cases, where DNA is recovered on a door handle and compared to several reference DNA profiles. The DNA profile of the trace shares DNA components with a person of interest (POI). When asked about the DNA results, the POI says he has nothing to do with the incident and has never been at the scene. However, a possibility would be that the DNA came from his recently stolen gloves. Someone else, the alternative offender (AO), could have opened the door wearing his gloves (POI's gloves), and transferred his DNA (POI's DNA). Based on the above-mentioned scenario, 60 burglary simulations experiments were carried out to generate data to assess DNA results given these allegations. The quantity and quality of DNA profiles (NGM SElect) recovered when the POI opened/closed the door bare-handed or when someone else performed the same activity but using POI's gloves, were compared. The gloves were regularly worn during at least three months by their owner during the winter. On the contrary, the AO wore them only for two minutes. Among the traces collected on the door handles, less than 50% of the traces led to interpretable DNA profiles. In 30% of the cases (3/10), when the door was opened/closed with bare hands, the DNA found on the door handle led to a mixed DNA profile with the POI's DNA aligning with the major contributor. For the experiments where the AO opened/closed the door with the POI's gloves, the POI's DNA was compatible with 22% (11/50) of the mixed DNA profile, aligning with the major in 8% of the cases (4/50). The DNA profiles of the offices' occupants were observed on the door handles, but not the AO's. In addition to the results of the experiments, we show two examples of how one can assess results observed in casework. Given the possibility of indirect transfer of minute DNA quantities, this research emphasizes the need to evaluate DNA results given the activities when the POI has a legitimate reason that can explain the presence of their DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Carrara
- School of Criminal Justice, Faculty of Law, Criminal Justice and Public Administration, University of Lausanne, Batochime, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - T Hicks
- Fondation pour la Formation Continue Universitaire Lausannoise (UNIL-EPFL) & School of Criminal Justice, Batochime, Dorigny, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne 100025, Switzerland
| | - L Samie
- Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne 100025, Switzerland
| | - F Taroni
- School of Criminal Justice, Faculty of Law, Criminal Justice and Public Administration, University of Lausanne, Batochime, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - V Castella
- Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne 100025, Switzerland
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3
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Grosjean F, Favre M, Castella V. Comparison between MACSprep™ forensic sperm microbead kit and Erase Sperm Isolation kit for the enrichment of sperm fractions recovered from sexual assault samples. Int J Legal Med 2023; 137:267-278. [PMID: 35773355 PMCID: PMC9816209 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-022-02861-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Sexual assault samples often contain mixtures of cells coming from at least two donors. Ideally, one would need to separate the cells into two cellular fractions: one consisting of the alleged aggressor's spermatozoa (the sperm fraction) and the other containing the victim's epithelial cells (the non-sperm fraction). This separation increases the probability of obtaining the alleged offender's autosomal DNA profile. However, spermatozoa are often collected along with an excess of biological material originating from the victim, and with unfavorable male:female biological material ratios, the absence of separation could result in the PCR amplification of the victim's DNA profile only. Several approaches are available to enrich/purify the spermatozoa present on sexual assault samples. In this paper, we compare a new method, the MACSprep™ Forensic Sperm MicroBead Kit (MACSprep, based on microbeads conjugated with antibodies bound to spermatozoa and their retention within a magnetic column) with the Erase Sperm Isolation Kit (Erase, a standard differential lysis separation procedure combined with a specific removal of free DNA) routinely used in our lab. The performance of both kits was tested using sets of vaginal and buccal swabs loaded with different dilutions of sperm, or azoospermic semen, representing a total of 120 independent samples. For the samples containing undiluted sperm, an average recovery of 58% was observed for the MACSprep's sperm fractions and 43% for Erase's. Significantly better recovery of azoospermic semen was observed in MACSprep's non-sperm fractions (~ 85%) compared to Erase (~ 28%). Erase performed significantly better than MACSprep in terms of recovery for diluted sperm samples (1:10 to 1:800 sperm dilutions) in the presence of vaginal cells, while the purities of the achieved sperm fractions were in favor of MACSprep for the highest sperm dilutions tested. Similar trends were observed with buccal swabs loaded with 1:200 sperm dilutions. Increased sperm dilutions on vaginal swabs resulted in higher variability in the male material recovered, whatever the separation method used. Both methods were easy to perform and resulted in male DNA extracts ready to use in less than 2 h. Both kits showed their specificities in terms of recovery efficiency and purity of the sperm fractions. Ideally, additional experiments should be performed in different laboratories, using workflow and chemistries different than ours, to better define the peculiarities observed with MACSprep for high dilutions. Improving the recovery of MACSprep for diluted samples, in addition to its better purity observed in the experiments performed, could make it a method of choice for laboratory workflow, despite MACSprep's current price per sample being about twice the price of Erase's.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederic Grosjean
- grid.411686.c0000 0004 0511 8059Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne – Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Chemin de la Vulliette 4, 1000 Lausanne 25, Switzerland
| | - Marylou Favre
- grid.411686.c0000 0004 0511 8059Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne – Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Chemin de la Vulliette 4, 1000 Lausanne 25, Switzerland
| | - Vincent Castella
- grid.411686.c0000 0004 0511 8059Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne – Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Chemin de la Vulliette 4, 1000 Lausanne 25, Switzerland
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4
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Hicks T, Buckleton J, Castella V, Evett I, Jackson G. A Logical Framework for Forensic DNA Interpretation. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13060957. [PMID: 35741719 PMCID: PMC9223060 DOI: 10.3390/genes13060957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The forensic community has devoted much effort over the last decades to the development of a logical framework for forensic interpretation, which is essential for the safe administration of justice. We review the research and guidelines that have been published and provide examples of how to implement them in casework. After a discussion on uncertainty in the criminal trial and the roles that the DNA scientist may take, we present the principles of interpretation for evaluative reporting. We show how their application helps to avoid a common fallacy and present strategies that DNA scientists can apply so that they do not transpose the conditional. We then discuss the hierarchy of propositions and explain why it is considered a fundamental concept for the evaluation of biological results and the differences between assessing results given propositions that are at the source level or the activity level. We show the importance of pre-assessment, especially when the questions relate to the alleged activities, and when transfer and persistence need to be considered by the scientists to guide the court. We conclude with a discussion on statement writing and testimony. This provides guidance on how DNA scientists can report in a balanced, transparent, and logical way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tacha Hicks
- Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne—Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1000 Lausanne 25, Switzerland;
- Fondation pour la Formation Continue Universitaire Lausannoise (UNIL-EPFL) & School of Criminal Justice, Batochime, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Correspondence:
| | - John Buckleton
- Department of Statistics, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand;
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited, Private Bag 92021, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Vincent Castella
- Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne—Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1000 Lausanne 25, Switzerland;
| | - Ian Evett
- Principal Forensic Services Ltd., Bromley BR1 2EB, UK;
| | - Graham Jackson
- Advance Forensic Science, St. Andrews KY16 0NA, UK;
- School of Applied Sciences, Division of Psychology and Forensic Science, Abertay University, Bell Street, Dundee DD1 1HG, UK
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5
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Basset P, Blandin P, Grini A, Delemont S, Samie L, Castella V. A simplified protocol for the detection of blood, saliva, and semen from a single biological trace using immunochromatographic tests. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2022; 18:141-148. [PMID: 35171453 PMCID: PMC9106612 DOI: 10.1007/s12024-021-00453-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The detection of body fluids (e.g., blood, saliva or semen) provides information that is important both for the investigation and for the choice of the analytical protocols. Because of their sensitivity, specificity, as well as their simplicity of use, immunochromatographic tests are widely applied. These tests target different body fluids and generally require specific buffer solutions. If one needs to investigate whether the material is of a specific nature (e.g., blood), this is fine. However, if the material can also contain other material (e.g., saliva or semen) then the use of different tests can be problematic. Indeed, if the different tests require different buffers, it will not be possible to perform all tests on the exact same specimen. In this study, we assess the use of the RSID™-universal buffer to perform three immunochromatographic tests (HEXAGON OBTI, RSID-saliva, and PSA Semiquant) as well as spermatozoa detection. We use the same eluate for the detection of all three body fluids. The proposed protocol provides similar results to those obtained when each test is conducted independently. Furthermore, it does not affect the quality of the DNA profiles. The main advantage of this protocol is that the results of the presumptive test(s) and of the DNA analyses are representative of the exact same specimen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Basset
- Forensic Genetics Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Chemin de la Vulliette 4, Lausanne 25, CH-1000, Switzerland.
| | - Prisca Blandin
- Forensic Genetics Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Chemin de la Vulliette 4, Lausanne 25, CH-1000, Switzerland
| | - Annalisa Grini
- Forensic Genetics Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Chemin de la Vulliette 4, Lausanne 25, CH-1000, Switzerland
| | - Séverine Delemont
- Forensic Genetics Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Chemin de la Vulliette 4, Lausanne 25, CH-1000, Switzerland
| | - Lydie Samie
- Forensic Genetics Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Chemin de la Vulliette 4, Lausanne 25, CH-1000, Switzerland
| | - Vincent Castella
- Forensic Genetics Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Chemin de la Vulliette 4, Lausanne 25, CH-1000, Switzerland
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6
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Wurst C, Maixner F, Castella V, Cipollini G, Hotz G, Zink A. The Lady from Basel's Barfüsserkirche - Molecular confirmation of the Mummy's identity through mitochondrial DNA of living relatives spanning 22 generations. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2021; 56:102604. [PMID: 34656830 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2021.102604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The identity of the mummified Lady from the Barfüsser Church in Basel, Switzerland has been unsolved for decades, despite the prominent location of the burial place in front of the choir screen. A recent multidisciplinary research approach came up with a possible candidate, Anna Catharina Bischoff who died in Basel in 1787 with an age of 69 years (1719-1787). To verify the identity of the mummy, genealogists of the Citizen Science Basel discovered three living individuals of the maternal lineage of two different family branches, separated from Anna Catharina Bischoff by up to 22 generations. In this study we compare the ancient mitochondrial DNA of the mummy recovered from a premolar to the mitochondrial DNA of these three candidates. Initially the mitochondrial hypervariable regions I and II of the living individuals were screened using the Sanger sequencing method. This was followed by a mitochondrial capture approach and next generation sequencing to enrich for the whole mitochondrial genome of the mummy and one living person. A full mitochondrial genome has been recovered of both individuals sharing an identical haplotype. The sequence was assigned to the mitochondrial haplogroup U5a1+!16192 including two private mutations 10006G and 16293C. Only by using an interdisciplinary approach combining ancient DNA analysis and genealogy a maternal lineage of a non-noble family spanning 22 generations could be confirmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Wurst
- Institute for Mummy Studies, Eurac Research, Drususallee/Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bozen, Bolzano, Italy; Palaeogenetics Group, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (iomE), Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Saarstraße 21, 55122 Mainz, Germany.
| | - Frank Maixner
- Institute for Mummy Studies, Eurac Research, Drususallee/Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bozen, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Vincent Castella
- Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne - Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Ch. de la Vulliette 4, 1000 Lausanne 25, Switzerland
| | - Giovanna Cipollini
- Institute for Mummy Studies, Eurac Research, Drususallee/Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bozen, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Gerhard Hotz
- Natural History Museum Basel, Augustinergasse 2, 4051 Basel, Switzerland; Integrative Prehistory and Archaeological Science, University of Basel, Bernoullistrasse 32, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Albert Zink
- Institute for Mummy Studies, Eurac Research, Drususallee/Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bozen, Bolzano, Italy
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7
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Gehrig C, Delémont S, Comte J, Hicks T, Basset P, Grosjean F, Dion D, Cossu C, Bottinelli M, Hecht M, Sulzer A, Voegeli P, Castella V. A Swiss collaborative exercise for Disaster Victim Identification (DVI): Covering situations with different levels of complexity. J Forensic Leg Med 2021; 83:102254. [PMID: 34592483 DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2021.102254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The identification of victims of a disaster (DVI) requires the collaboration of different specialists. Within a DVI context, DNA analyses often play an important role. Consequently, forensic genetic laboratories should be prepared to cope with DVI situations, as this can involve large-scale DNA profile comparisons. Six forensic genetic laboratories from Switzerland participated in an exercise where supposedly a plane had crashed. The goal of the exercise was to monitor participants use of dedicated software with ground truth cases and to make them aware of the existence of particular situations that may occur in real cases. For assigning the value of the comparison of the DNA profiles, all participating laboratories used the DVI module of Familias v3.2.1 In addition, one of the 6 laboratories used the Pedigree Searcher from CODIS v7.0. The data (AmpFlSTR® NGM SElect™ profiles) were generated to challenge the participating laboratories: cases with first, second degree biological parents, mutation events, as well as non-paternity cases were included. This study shows that the majority of the participants used the software in an appropriate way. However, a few misleading conclusions were detected for the most challenging situations. These errors belonged to one of the following categories: false pedigree, false association using the higher LR, misleading contextual information (false paternity) and not clustering family members. Specific recommendations are provided in order to reduce misuse of the software and the risk of misinterpretations by using all the relevant information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Gehrig
- University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | | | - Jennifer Comte
- University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Tacha Hicks
- University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland; Fondation pour la Formation Continue Universitaire Lausannoise (UNIL-EPFL), Switzerland
| | - Patrick Basset
- University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Daniel Dion
- Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Mirco Hecht
- Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Vincent Castella
- University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
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8
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Samie L, Champod C, Glutz V, Garcia M, Castella V, Taroni F. The efficiency of DNA extraction kit and the efficiency of recovery techniques to release DNA using flow cytometry. Sci Justice 2019; 59:405-410. [PMID: 31256811 DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 09/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/17/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lydie Samie
- Faculty of Law, Criminal Justice and Public Administration, School of Criminal Justice, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Christophe Champod
- Faculty of Law, Criminal Justice and Public Administration, School of Criminal Justice, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Valérie Glutz
- Plateforme technologique de cytométrie en flux, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Miguel Garcia
- Plateforme technologique de cytométrie en flux, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Vincent Castella
- Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine Lausanne and Geneva, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Franco Taroni
- Faculty of Law, Criminal Justice and Public Administration, School of Criminal Justice, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
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9
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Comte J, Baechler S, Gervaix J, Lock E, Milon MP, Delémont O, Castella V. Touch DNA collection - Performance of four different swabs. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2019; 43:102113. [PMID: 31525724 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2019.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
A collaborative study conducted by three police forensic units, a DNA laboratory, and a forensic academic institute was undertaken in order to compare the performance of four different swabs in controlled and quasi-operational conditions. For this purpose, a reference swab (Prionics cardboard evidence collection kit) currently used within the police forensic units and 3 challenger swabs (COPAN 4N6FLOQSwabs™ (Genetics variety), Puritan FAB-MINI-AP and Sarstedt Forensic Swab) were used for collecting DNA traces from previously used items (referred as "touch DNA" in this article) including on 60 collars, 60 screwdrivers and 60 steering wheels obtained from volunteers. For each comparison, the surface considered was divided into two equal components; one was sampled with the reference swab and the other with one of the three challenger swabs. This lead to a total of 360 samples. Conclusions were consistent within the four operational partners. From a practical point of view, the COPAN 4N6FLOQSwabs™ (Genetics variety) was judged the most convenient to use. Furthermore, it allowed the recovery of significantly more DNA from collars (0.65 vs 0.13 ng/μL) and steering wheels (2.82 vs 1.77 ng/μL), and a similar amount of DNA from screwdrivers (0.032 vs 0.026 ng/μL) compared with the Prionics reference swab. The two other challenger swabs provided results that were not significantly different from the reference swab, except for the Puritan swab, whose performance was significantly lower for steering wheels (0.37 vs 0.58 ng/μL). As part of a conservation study, 50 μL of a blood dilution (1/4 with PBS) was deposited on a total of 105 COPAN (Genetics and Crime Scene varieties), Prionics and Sarstedt swabs. They were stored within a cupboard at room temperature. The integrity of the recovered DNA was evaluated with NGM SElect™ DNA profiles after different time-spans ranging from 1 day to 12 months by comparing the height difference of the peaks occurring at the shortest and longest loci, respectively. DNA seemed to remain stable, except when using the COPAN 4N6FLOQSwabs™ treated with an antimicrobial agent (Crime scene variety), which resulted in significant DNA degradation. Following these tests, the COPAN 4N6FLOQSwabs™ (Genetics variety), a model with a desiccant, was selected for further testing in fully operational conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Comte
- Unité de Génétique Forensique, Centre Universitaire Romand de Médecine Légale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois et Université de Lausanne, Ch. de la Vulliette 4, 1000 Lausanne 25, Switzerland
| | - Simon Baechler
- Service forensique, Police neuchâteloise, Rue des Poudrières 14, 2006 Neuchâtel, Switzerland; Ecole des Sciences Criminelles, Université de Lausanne, UNIL-Batochime, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; Laboratoire de Recherche en Criminalistique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351 Bd des Forges, Trois-Rivières G8Z 4M3, Canada
| | - Joelle Gervaix
- Unité de Génétique Forensique, Centre Universitaire Romand de Médecine Légale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois et Université de Lausanne, Ch. de la Vulliette 4, 1000 Lausanne 25, Switzerland
| | - Eric Lock
- Departement de la sécurité et de l'économie, Police judiciaire, Section Forensique, Bd Carl-Vogt 17-19, 1205 Genève, Switzerland
| | - Marie-Pierre Milon
- Police de Sûreté, Brigade de police scientifique, Route de la Blécherette 101, 1014 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Delémont
- Ecole des Sciences Criminelles, Université de Lausanne, UNIL-Batochime, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Vincent Castella
- Unité de Génétique Forensique, Centre Universitaire Romand de Médecine Légale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois et Université de Lausanne, Ch. de la Vulliette 4, 1000 Lausanne 25, Switzerland.
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10
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Baud D, Pattaroni C, Vulliemoz N, Castella V, Marsland BJ, Stojanov M. Sperm Microbiota and Its Impact on Semen Parameters. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:234. [PMID: 30809218 PMCID: PMC6379293 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Compared to its female counterpart, the microbiota of the male genital tract has not been studied extensively. With this study, we aimed to evaluate the bacterial composition of seminal fluid and its impact on sperm parameters. We hypothesized that a dysbiotic microbiota composition may have an influence on sperm quality. Semen samples of 26 men with normal spermiogram and 68 men with at least one abnormal spermiogram parameter were included in the study. Samples were stratified based on total sperm count, spermatozoa concentration, progressive motility, total motility and spermatozoa morphology. Microbiota profiling was performed using 16S rRNA gene amplicons sequencing and total bacterial load was determined using a panbacterial quantitative PCR. Semen samples broadly clustered into three microbiota profiles: Prevotella-enriched, Lactobacillus-enriched, and polymicrobial. Prevotella-enriched samples had the highest bacterial load (p < 0.05). Network analysis identified three main co-occurrence modules, among which two contained bacteria commonly found in the vaginal flora. Genera from the same module displayed similar oxygen requirements, arguing for the presence of different ecological niches for bacteria that colonize semen through the passage. Contrary to our hypothesis, shifts in overall microbiota composition (beta-diversity) did not correlate with spermiogram parameters. Similarly, we did not find any difference in microbial richness or diversity (alpha-diversity). Differential abundance testing, however, revealed three specific genera that were significantly enriched or depleted in some of the sperm quality groups (p < 0.05). Prevotella relative abundance was increased in samples with defective sperm motility while Staphylococcus was increased in the corresponding control group. In addition, we observed an increased relative abundance of Lactobacillus in samples with normal sperm morphology. Our study indicates that overall bacterial content of sperm might not play a major role in male infertility. Although no major shifts in microbiota composition or diversity were found, the differential abundance of specific bacterial genera in the sperm suggests that a small subset of microbes might impact the spermatozoal physiology during sperm transition, more specifically motility and morphology. Further studies are required to challenge this finding and develop potential strategies to induce the formation of a healthy seminal microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Baud
- Materno-fetal and Obstetrics Research Unit, Department Woman Mother Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Céline Pattaroni
- Department of Immunology and Pathology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Service de Pneumologie, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Vulliemoz
- Fertility Medicine and Gynaecologic Endocrinology Unit, Department Woman Mother Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Vincent Castella
- Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin J Marsland
- Department of Immunology and Pathology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Service de Pneumologie, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Milos Stojanov
- Materno-fetal and Obstetrics Research Unit, Department Woman Mother Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Baud D, Vulliemoz N, Ammerdorffer A, Gyger J, Greub G, Castella V, Stojanov M. Waddlia chondrophila, a Chlamydia-related bacterium, has a negative impact on human spermatozoa. Hum Reprod 2019; 33:3-10. [PMID: 29145645 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dex342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION What is the impact of Waddlia chondrophila, an emerging Chlamydia-related bacterium associated with miscarriage, on human spermatozoa? SUMMARY ANSWER W. chondrophila had a negative impact on human spermatozoa (decrease in viability and mitochondrial membrane potential) and was not entirely removed from infected samples by density gradient centrifugation. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Bacterial infection or colonization might have a deleterious effect on male fertility. Waddlia chondrophila was previously associated with miscarriage, but its impact on male reproductive function has never been studied. STUDY DESIGN SIZE, DURATION An in vitro model of human spermatozoa infection was used to assess the effects of W. chondrophila infection. Controls included Chlamydia trachomatis serovar D and latex beads with similar size to bacteria. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Purified motile spermatozoa were infected with W. chondrophila (multiplicity of infection of 1). Immunohistochemistry combined with confocal microscopy was used to evaluate how bacteria interact with spermatozoa. The impact on physiology was assessed by monitoring cell viability, mitochondrial membrane potential and DNA fragmentation. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Using super-resolution confocal microscopy, bacteria were localized on spermatozoa surface, as well as inside the cytoplasm. Compared to controls, W. chondrophila caused a 20% increase in mortality over 72 h of incubation (P < 0.05). Moreover, higher bacterial loads significantly reduced mitochondrial membrane potential. Bacteria present on spermatozoa surface were able to further infect a cell-monolayer, indicating that sperm might vector bacteria during sexual intercourse. LIMITATIONS REASONS FOR CAUTION The main limitation of the study is the use of an in vitro model of infection, which might be too simplistic compared to an actual infection. An animal model of infection should be developed to better evaluate the in vivo impact of W. chondrophila. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Intracellular bacteria, including C. trachomatis, Mycoplasma spp. and Ureaplasma spp., are associated with male infertility. Waddlia chondrophila might represent yet another member of this group, highlighting the need for more rigorous microbiological analysis during investigations for male infertility. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This work has been funded by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland, and by the Swiss National Science Foundation (Grant nos. 310030-156169/1, 320030-169853/1 and 320030-169853/2 attributed to D.B.). D.B. is also supported by the 'Fondation Leenaards' through the 'Bourse pour la relève académique', by the 'Fondation Divesa' and by the 'Loterie Romande'. No conflicts of interest to declare.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Baud
- Materno-fetal and Obstetrics Research Unit, Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Avenue Pierre-Decker 2, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - N Vulliemoz
- Reproductive Medicine Unit, Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland
| | - A Ammerdorffer
- Materno-fetal and Obstetrics Research Unit, Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Avenue Pierre-Decker 2, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - J Gyger
- Materno-fetal and Obstetrics Research Unit, Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Avenue Pierre-Decker 2, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - G Greub
- Institute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - V Castella
- Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - M Stojanov
- Materno-fetal and Obstetrics Research Unit, Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Avenue Pierre-Decker 2, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
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Basset P, Castella V. Positive impact of DNA contamination minimization procedures taken within the laboratory. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2018; 38:232-235. [PMID: 30469016 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2018.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Revised: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
DNA contamination incidents are one of the most frequent sources of error in forensic genetics and can have serious consequences. It is therefore essential to take measures to prevent these events and to monitor the real impact of contamination minimization procedures. In this study, we review and compare the number of contamination events detected on trace samples analyzed by the Forensic Genetic Unit (FGU) of the University Center of Legal Medicine in Switzerland before and after the implementation of new contamination minimization procedures. Interestingly, the number of contamination events by laboratory staff was significantly reduced by more than 70% after the implementation of the procedures. However, no significant change was observed for contamination events by police collaborators. This difference is likely to be explained by the differential impact of procedures taken in the laboratory and on crime scene. It suggests that the reduction observed for laboratory contamination incidents is due to the new procedures taken. In conclusion, our study highlights that taking appropriate measures is efficient and can reduce the number of contamination incidents. However, it is important that such contamination minimization procedures be implemented all along the chain of analysis of a stain (i.e. from crime scene to the laboratory).
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Basset
- Unité de Génétique Forensique, Centre Universitaire Romand de Médecine Légale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois et Université de Lausanne, Ch. de la Vulliette 4, 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Vincent Castella
- Unité de Génétique Forensique, Centre Universitaire Romand de Médecine Légale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois et Université de Lausanne, Ch. de la Vulliette 4, 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Basset P, Castella V. Lessons from a study of DNA contaminations from police services and forensic laboratories in Switzerland. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2017; 33:147-154. [PMID: 29275090 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2017.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Revised: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In Switzerland, the DNA profiles of police officers collecting crime scene traces as well as forensic genetic laboratories employees are stored in the staff index of the national DNA database to detect potential contaminations. Our study aimed at making a national inventory of contaminations to better understand their origin and to make recommendations in order to decrease their occurrence. For this purpose, a retrospective questionnaire was sent to both police services and forensic genetic laboratories for each case where there was a contamination. Between 2011 and 2015, a total of 709 contaminations were detected. This represents a mean of 11.5 (9.6-13.4) contaminations per year per 1'000 profiles sent to the Swiss DNA database. Feedbacks were obtained from the police, the laboratory or both for 552/709 (78%) of the contaminations. Approximately 86% of these contaminations originated from police officers whereas only 11% were from genetic laboratories employees and 3% were associated to other sources (e.g. positive controls, stain-stain contaminations). Interestingly, a direct contact between the stain and the contaminant person occurred in only 51% of the laboratory contaminations whereas this number increased to 91% for police collaborators. The high level of indirect DNA transfer in laboratories might be explained by the presence of "DNA reservoirs" suggesting that cleaning procedures should be improved. At the police level, most contaminations originated from the person who collected the trace and likely occurred directly at the crime scene. Improving sampling practices could be beneficial to reduce these contaminations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Basset
- Unité de Génétique Forensique, Centre Universitaire Romand de Médecine Légale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois et Université de Lausanne, Ch. de la Vulliette 4, 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Vincent Castella
- Unité de Génétique Forensique, Centre Universitaire Romand de Médecine Légale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois et Université de Lausanne, Ch. de la Vulliette 4, 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Oldoni F, Castella V, Hall D. Application of DIP-STRs to sexual/physical assault investigations: Eight case reports. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2017; 30:106-113. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2017.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Revised: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Oldoni F, Castella V, Grosjean F, Hall D. Sensitive DIP-STR markers for the analysis of unbalanced mixtures from “touch” DNA samples. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2017; 28:111-117. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2017.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Revised: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 02/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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16
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Oldoni F, Castella V, Hall D. Shedding light on the relative DNA contribution of two persons handling the same object. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2016; 24:148-157. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2016.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Revised: 06/11/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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17
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Froidevaux P, Bochud F, Baechler S, Castella V, Augsburger M, Bailat C, Michaud K, Straub M, Pecchia M, Jenk TM, Uldin T, Mangin P. 210Po poisoning as possible cause of death: forensic investigations and toxicological analysis of the remains of Yasser Arafat. Forensic Sci Int 2016; 259:1-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2015] [Revised: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 09/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Oldoni F, Castella V, Hall D. Exploring the relative DNA contribution of first and second object’s users on mock touch DNA mixtures. Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigss.2015.09.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Purps J, Siegert S, Willuweit S, Nagy M, Alves C, Salazar R, Angustia SMT, Santos LH, Anslinger K, Bayer B, Ayub Q, Wei W, Xue Y, Tyler-Smith C, Bafalluy MB, Martínez-Jarreta B, Egyed B, Balitzki B, Tschumi S, Ballard D, Court DS, Barrantes X, Bäßler G, Wiest T, Berger B, Niederstätter H, Parson W, Davis C, Budowle B, Burri H, Borer U, Koller C, Carvalho EF, Domingues PM, Chamoun WT, Coble MD, Hill CR, Corach D, Caputo M, D'Amato ME, Davison S, Decorte R, Larmuseau MHD, Ottoni C, Rickards O, Lu D, Jiang C, Dobosz T, Jonkisz A, Frank WE, Furac I, Gehrig C, Castella V, Grskovic B, Haas C, Wobst J, Hadzic G, Drobnic K, Honda K, Hou Y, Zhou D, Li Y, Hu S, Chen S, Immel UD, Lessig R, Jakovski Z, Ilievska T, Klann AE, García CC, de Knijff P, Kraaijenbrink T, Kondili A, Miniati P, Vouropoulou M, Kovacevic L, Marjanovic D, Lindner I, Mansour I, Al-Azem M, Andari AE, Marino M, Furfuro S, Locarno L, Martín P, Luque GM, Alonso A, Miranda LS, Moreira H, Mizuno N, Iwashima Y, Neto RSM, Nogueira TLS, Silva R, Nastainczyk-Wulf M, Edelmann J, Kohl M, Nie S, Wang X, Cheng B, Núñez C, Pancorbo MMD, Olofsson JK, Morling N, Onofri V, Tagliabracci A, Pamjav H, Volgyi A, Barany G, Pawlowski R, Maciejewska A, Pelotti S, Pepinski W, Abreu-Glowacka M, Phillips C, Cárdenas J, Rey-Gonzalez D, Salas A, Brisighelli F, Capelli C, Toscanini U, Piccinini A, Piglionica M, Baldassarra SL, Ploski R, Konarzewska M, Jastrzebska E, Robino C, Sajantila A, Palo JU, Guevara E, Salvador J, Ungria MCD, Rodriguez JJR, Schmidt U, Schlauderer N, Saukko P, Schneider PM, Sirker M, Shin KJ, Oh YN, Skitsa I, Ampati A, Smith TG, Calvit LSD, Stenzl V, Capal T, Tillmar A, Nilsson H, Turrina S, De Leo D, Verzeletti A, Cortellini V, Wetton JH, Gwynne GM, Jobling MA, Whittle MR, Sumita DR, Wolańska-Nowak P, Yong RYY, Krawczak M, Nothnagel M, Roewer L. A global analysis of Y-chromosomal haplotype diversity for 23 STR loci. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2014; 12:12-23. [PMID: 24854874 PMCID: PMC4127773 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2014.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 189] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2014] [Accepted: 04/19/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
In a worldwide collaborative effort, 19,630 Y-chromosomes were sampled from 129 different populations in 51 countries. These chromosomes were typed for 23 short-tandem repeat (STR) loci (DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS385ab, DYS437, DYS438, DYS439, DYS448, DYS456, DYS458, DYS635, GATAH4, DYS481, DYS533, DYS549, DYS570, DYS576, and DYS643) and using the PowerPlex Y23 System (PPY23, Promega Corporation, Madison, WI). Locus-specific allelic spectra of these markers were determined and a consistently high level of allelic diversity was observed. A considerable number of null, duplicate and off-ladder alleles were revealed. Standard single-locus and haplotype-based parameters were calculated and compared between subsets of Y-STR markers established for forensic casework. The PPY23 marker set provides substantially stronger discriminatory power than other available kits but at the same time reveals the same general patterns of population structure as other marker sets. A strong correlation was observed between the number of Y-STRs included in a marker set and some of the forensic parameters under study. Interestingly a weak but consistent trend toward smaller genetic distances resulting from larger numbers of markers became apparent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine Purps
- Department of Forensic Genetics, Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sabine Siegert
- Department of Statistical Genetics and Bioinformatics, Cologne Center for Genomics, University of Cologne, Germany
| | - Sascha Willuweit
- Department of Forensic Genetics, Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marion Nagy
- Department of Forensic Genetics, Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Cíntia Alves
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Porto, Portugal
| | - Renato Salazar
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Porto, Portugal; Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Portugal
| | | | - Lorna H Santos
- Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Katja Anslinger
- Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, Germany
| | - Birgit Bayer
- Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, Germany
| | - Qasim Ayub
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
| | - Wei Wei
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
| | - Yali Xue
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
| | - Chris Tyler-Smith
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
| | | | | | - Balazs Egyed
- GenoID Forensic DNA Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Beate Balitzki
- Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Universität Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - David Ballard
- Department of Forensic and Analytical Science, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Xinia Barrantes
- Forensic Sciences Department, Poder Judicial, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | | | - Tina Wiest
- Landeskriminalamt Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Burkhard Berger
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Walther Parson
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria; Penn State Eberly College of Science, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Carey Davis
- Institute of Applied Genetics and Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Ft. Worth, USA
| | - Bruce Budowle
- Institute of Applied Genetics and Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Ft. Worth, USA; Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research (CEGMR), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Helen Burri
- Forensische Genetik, Kantonsspital Aarau AG, Switzerland
| | - Urs Borer
- Forensische Genetik, Kantonsspital Aarau AG, Switzerland
| | | | - Elizeu F Carvalho
- Laboratorio de Diagnósticos por DNA, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Patricia M Domingues
- Laboratorio de Diagnósticos por DNA, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Michael D Coble
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, USA
| | - Carolyn R Hill
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, USA
| | - Daniel Corach
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquimica, Servicio de Huellas Digitales Genetica and CONICET (National Scientific and Technical Research Council), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariela Caputo
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquimica, Servicio de Huellas Digitales Genetica and CONICET (National Scientific and Technical Research Council), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Maria E D'Amato
- University of the Western Cape, Biotechnology Department, Forensic DNA Laboratory, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sean Davison
- University of the Western Cape, Biotechnology Department, Forensic DNA Laboratory, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ronny Decorte
- KU Leuven, Department of Imaging & Pathology, Laboratory of Forensic Genetics and Molecular Archaeology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Maarten H D Larmuseau
- KU Leuven, Department of Imaging & Pathology, Laboratory of Forensic Genetics and Molecular Archaeology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Claudio Ottoni
- KU Leuven, Department of Imaging & Pathology, Laboratory of Forensic Genetics and Molecular Archaeology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Olga Rickards
- Centre of Molecular Antropology For Ancient DNA Studies, Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy
| | - Di Lu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Judicial Civilization, Institute of Evidence Law and Forensic Science, China University of Political Science and Law, Beijing, China
| | - Chengtao Jiang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Judicial Civilization, Institute of Evidence Law and Forensic Science, China University of Political Science and Law, Beijing, China
| | - Tadeusz Dobosz
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Anna Jonkisz
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - William E Frank
- Illinois State Police, Research & Development Laboratory, Springfield, USA
| | - Ivana Furac
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Criminology, University of Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Christian Gehrig
- University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Vincent Castella
- University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Branka Grskovic
- Forensic Science Centre "Ivan Vucetic", General Police Directorate, Ministry of Interior, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Cordula Haas
- Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Universität Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jana Wobst
- Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Universität Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Katsuya Honda
- Department of Legal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yiping Hou
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, West China School of Basic Science and Forensic Medicine Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Di Zhou
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, West China School of Basic Science and Forensic Medicine Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yan Li
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, West China School of Basic Science and Forensic Medicine Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shengping Hu
- Molecular Biology and Forensic Genetics Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Shenglan Chen
- Molecular Biology and Forensic Genetics Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | | | | | - Zlatko Jakovski
- Institute for Forensic Medicine and Criminalistics, Medical Faculty, University "Ss. Cyril and Methodius", Skopje, Macedonia
| | - Tanja Ilievska
- Institute for Forensic Medicine and Criminalistics, Medical Faculty, University "Ss. Cyril and Methodius", Skopje, Macedonia
| | - Anja E Klann
- Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Germany
| | | | - Peter de Knijff
- Forensic Laboratory for DNA Research, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Thirsa Kraaijenbrink
- Forensic Laboratory for DNA Research, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Aikaterini Kondili
- Subdivision of Biological and Biochemical Examinations and Analyses F.S.D. - Hellenic Police, Athens, Greece
| | - Penelope Miniati
- Subdivision of Biological and Biochemical Examinations and Analyses F.S.D. - Hellenic Police, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Vouropoulou
- Subdivision of Biological and Biochemical Examinations and Analyses F.S.D. - Hellenic Police, Athens, Greece
| | - Lejla Kovacevic
- Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Damir Marjanovic
- Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Iris Lindner
- Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Universität Rostock, Germany
| | - Issam Mansour
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, American University of Science and Technology Beirut, Lebanon and School of Criminal Justice, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mouayyad Al-Azem
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, American University of Science and Technology Beirut, Lebanon and School of Criminal Justice, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ansar El Andari
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, American University of Science and Technology Beirut, Lebanon and School of Criminal Justice, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Miguel Marino
- Laboratorio de Análisis de ADN, FCM - National University of Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Sandra Furfuro
- Laboratorio de Análisis de ADN, FCM - National University of Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Laura Locarno
- Laboratorio de Análisis de ADN, FCM - National University of Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Pablo Martín
- Instituto Nacional de Toxicología y Ciencias Forenses, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gracia M Luque
- Instituto Nacional de Toxicología y Ciencias Forenses, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Alonso
- Instituto Nacional de Toxicología y Ciencias Forenses, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Helena Moreira
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Natsuko Mizuno
- National Research Institute of Police Science, Chiba, Japan
| | | | - Rodrigo S Moura Neto
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro and DIMAV/INMETRO, Brazil
| | | | - Rosane Silva
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | - Michael Kohl
- Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Universität Leipzig, Germany
| | - Shengjie Nie
- School of Forensic Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Xianping Wang
- Department of Criminal Investigation, Xuanwei Public Security Bureau, Xuanwei, China
| | - Baowen Cheng
- Department of Criminal Investigation, Yunnan Provincial Public Security Bureau, Kunming, China
| | - Carolina Núñez
- BIOMICs Research Group, Universidad del País Vasco, Vitoria, Spain
| | | | - Jill K Olofsson
- Section of Forensic Genetics, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Niels Morling
- Section of Forensic Genetics, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Valerio Onofri
- Section of Legal Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | | | - Horolma Pamjav
- DNA Laboratory, Institute for Forensic Medicine, Network of Forensic Science Institutes, Ministry of Public Administration and Justice, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Antonia Volgyi
- DNA Laboratory, Institute for Forensic Medicine, Network of Forensic Science Institutes, Ministry of Public Administration and Justice, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gusztav Barany
- DNA Laboratory, Institute for Forensic Medicine, Network of Forensic Science Institutes, Ministry of Public Administration and Justice, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ryszard Pawlowski
- Forensic Genetics Laboratory, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Maciejewska
- Forensic Genetics Laboratory, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland
| | - Susi Pelotti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), Institute of Legal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Bologna, Italy
| | - Witold Pepinski
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland
| | | | - Christopher Phillips
- Unidade de Xenética Forense, Instituto de Ciencias Forenses, Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, Facultade de Medicina, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Jorge Cárdenas
- Unidade de Xenética Forense, Instituto de Ciencias Forenses, Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, Facultade de Medicina, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Danel Rey-Gonzalez
- Unidade de Xenética Forense, Instituto de Ciencias Forenses, Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, Facultade de Medicina, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Antonio Salas
- Unidade de Xenética Forense, Instituto de Ciencias Forenses, Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, Facultade de Medicina, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Francesca Brisighelli
- Unidade de Xenética Forense, Instituto de Ciencias Forenses, Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, Facultade de Medicina, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Forensic Genetics Laboratory, Institute of Legal Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Cristian Capelli
- Unidade de Xenética Forense, Instituto de Ciencias Forenses, Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, Facultade de Medicina, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ulises Toscanini
- Unidade de Xenética Forense, Instituto de Ciencias Forenses, Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, Facultade de Medicina, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain; PRICAI-Fundación Favaloro, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andrea Piccinini
- Forensic Genetics Laboratory, Department of Human Morphology and Biomedical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
| | - Marilidia Piglionica
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Section of Legal Medicine, University of Bari, Italy
| | - Stefania L Baldassarra
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Section of Legal Medicine, University of Bari, Italy
| | - Rafal Ploski
- Department of Medical Genetics, Warsaw Medical University, Poland
| | | | | | - Carlo Robino
- Department of Public Health Sciences and Pediatrics, University of Turin, Italy
| | - Antti Sajantila
- Institute of Applied Genetics and Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Ft. Worth, USA; Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jukka U Palo
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Evelyn Guevara
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jazelyn Salvador
- DNA Analysis Laboratory, Natural Sciences Research Institute, University of the Philippines Diliman, Philippines
| | - Maria Corazon De Ungria
- DNA Analysis Laboratory, Natural Sciences Research Institute, University of the Philippines Diliman, Philippines
| | - Jae Joseph Russell Rodriguez
- DNA Analysis Laboratory, Natural Sciences Research Institute, University of the Philippines Diliman, Philippines; Institute of Biological Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
| | - Ulrike Schmidt
- Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Pekka Saukko
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Peter M Schneider
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Germany
| | - Miriam Sirker
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Germany
| | - Kyoung-Jin Shin
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yu Na Oh
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Iulia Skitsa
- Athens Dept. of Legal Medicine, DNA Analysis Laboratory, Athens, Greece
| | - Alexandra Ampati
- Athens Dept. of Legal Medicine, DNA Analysis Laboratory, Athens, Greece
| | - Tobi-Gail Smith
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica
| | | | - Vlastimil Stenzl
- Laboratory of Forensic Genetics, Institute of Criminalistics, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Thomas Capal
- Laboratory of Forensic Genetics, Institute of Criminalistics, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Andreas Tillmar
- Department of Forensic Genetics and Forensic Toxicology, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Helena Nilsson
- Department of Forensic Genetics and Forensic Toxicology, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Stefania Turrina
- Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Medicina e Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Verona, Italy
| | - Domenico De Leo
- Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Medicina e Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Verona, Italy
| | - Andrea Verzeletti
- Istituto di Medicina Legale, Universitá degli Studi di Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Jon H Wetton
- Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Rita Y Y Yong
- Defence Medical & Environmental Research Institute, DSO National Laboratories, Singapore
| | - Michael Krawczak
- Institute of Medical Informatics and Statistics, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Germany
| | - Michael Nothnagel
- Department of Statistical Genetics and Bioinformatics, Cologne Center for Genomics, University of Cologne, Germany
| | - Lutz Roewer
- Department of Forensic Genetics, Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany.
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Clément-Schatlo V, Marino D, Burkhardt K, Teta P, Leyvraz F, Schatlo B, Frank S, Schaller K, Castella V, Radovanovic I. Retraction: Quantification, self-renewal, and genetic tracing of FL1⁺ tumor-initiating cells in a large cohort of human gliomas. Neuro-Oncology 14(6):720-35, 2012. Neuro Oncol 2014; 16:889. [PMID: 24832621 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/nou086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Virginie Clément-Schatlo
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (V.C.-S., D.M., K.S.); Division of Surgical Pathology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland (K.B.); Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Geneva and Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.T., F.L., V.C.); Service of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland (B.S., K.S., I.R., P.T.); Division of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland (S.F.)
| | - Denis Marino
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (V.C.-S., D.M., K.S.); Division of Surgical Pathology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland (K.B.); Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Geneva and Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.T., F.L., V.C.); Service of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland (B.S., K.S., I.R., P.T.); Division of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland (S.F.)
| | - Karim Burkhardt
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (V.C.-S., D.M., K.S.); Division of Surgical Pathology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland (K.B.); Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Geneva and Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.T., F.L., V.C.); Service of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland (B.S., K.S., I.R., P.T.); Division of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland (S.F.)
| | - Patrick Teta
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (V.C.-S., D.M., K.S.); Division of Surgical Pathology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland (K.B.); Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Geneva and Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.T., F.L., V.C.); Service of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland (B.S., K.S., I.R., P.T.); Division of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland (S.F.)
| | - Fabienne Leyvraz
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (V.C.-S., D.M., K.S.); Division of Surgical Pathology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland (K.B.); Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Geneva and Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.T., F.L., V.C.); Service of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland (B.S., K.S., I.R., P.T.); Division of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland (S.F.)
| | - Bawarjan Schatlo
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (V.C.-S., D.M., K.S.); Division of Surgical Pathology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland (K.B.); Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Geneva and Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.T., F.L., V.C.); Service of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland (B.S., K.S., I.R., P.T.); Division of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland (S.F.)
| | - Stephan Frank
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (V.C.-S., D.M., K.S.); Division of Surgical Pathology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland (K.B.); Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Geneva and Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.T., F.L., V.C.); Service of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland (B.S., K.S., I.R., P.T.); Division of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland (S.F.)
| | - Karl Schaller
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (V.C.-S., D.M., K.S.); Division of Surgical Pathology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland (K.B.); Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Geneva and Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.T., F.L., V.C.); Service of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland (B.S., K.S., I.R., P.T.); Division of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland (S.F.)
| | - Vincent Castella
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (V.C.-S., D.M., K.S.); Division of Surgical Pathology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland (K.B.); Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Geneva and Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.T., F.L., V.C.); Service of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland (B.S., K.S., I.R., P.T.); Division of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland (S.F.)
| | - Ivan Radovanovic
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (V.C.-S., D.M., K.S.); Division of Surgical Pathology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland (K.B.); Forensic Genetics Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine, Geneva and Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.T., F.L., V.C.); Service of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland (B.S., K.S., I.R., P.T.); Division of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland (S.F.)
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Gehrig C, Balitzki B, Kratzer A, Cossu C, Malik N, Castella V. Allelic proportions of 16 STR loci—including the new European Standard Set (ESS) loci—in a Swiss population sample. Int J Legal Med 2013; 128:461-5. [DOI: 10.1007/s00414-013-0949-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2013] [Accepted: 11/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Froidevaux
- Institute of Radiation Physics, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Castella V, Gervaix J, Hall D. DIP-STR: highly sensitive markers for the analysis of unbalanced genomic mixtures. Hum Mutat 2013; 34:644-54. [PMID: 23355272 PMCID: PMC3675636 DOI: 10.1002/humu.22280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2012] [Accepted: 01/14/2013] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Samples containing highly unbalanced DNA mixtures from two individuals commonly occur both in forensic mixed stains and in peripheral blood DNA microchimerism induced by pregnancy or following organ transplant. Because of PCR amplification bias, the genetic identification of a DNA that contributes trace amounts to a mixed sample represents a tremendous challenge. This means that standard genetic markers, namely microsatellites, also referred as short tandem repeats (STR), and single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) have limited power in addressing common questions of forensic and medical genetics. To address this issue, we developed a molecular marker, named DIP–STR that relies on pairing deletion–insertion polymorphisms (DIP) with STR. This novel analytical approach allows for the unambiguous genotyping of a minor component in the presence of a major component, where DIP–STR genotypes of the minor were successfully procured at ratios up to 1:1,000. The compound nature of this marker generates a high level of polymorphism that is suitable for identity testing. Here, we demonstrate the power of the DIP–STR approach on an initial set of nine markers surveyed in a Swiss population. Finally, we discuss the limitations and potential applications of our new system including preliminary tests on clinical samples and estimates of their performance on simulated DNA mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Castella
- Unité de Génétique Forensique, Centre Universitaire Romand de Médecine Légale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois et Université de Lausanne, Lausanne, 1011, Switzerland
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Gehrig C, Castella V. Internal validation study of the PowerPlex® Y23 system. Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigss.2013.10.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Garvin AM, Fischer A, Schnee-Griese J, Jelinski A, Bottinelli M, Soldati G, Tubio M, Castella V, Monney N, Malik N, Madrid M. Isolating DNA from sexual assault cases: a comparison of standard methods with a nuclease-based approach. Investig Genet 2012; 3:25. [PMID: 23211019 PMCID: PMC3546913 DOI: 10.1186/2041-2223-3-25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2012] [Accepted: 10/31/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Background Profiling sperm DNA present on vaginal swabs taken from rape victims often contributes to identifying and incarcerating rapists. Large amounts of the victim’s epithelial cells contaminate the sperm present on swabs, however, and complicate this process. The standard method for obtaining relatively pure sperm DNA from a vaginal swab is to digest the epithelial cells with Proteinase K in order to solubilize the victim’s DNA, and to then physically separate the soluble DNA from the intact sperm by pelleting the sperm, removing the victim’s fraction, and repeatedly washing the sperm pellet. An alternative approach that does not require washing steps is to digest with Proteinase K, pellet the sperm, remove the victim’s fraction, and then digest the residual victim’s DNA with a nuclease. Methods The nuclease approach has been commercialized in a product, the Erase Sperm Isolation Kit (PTC Labs, Columbia, MO, USA), and five crime laboratories have tested it on semen-spiked female buccal swabs in a direct comparison with their standard methods. Comparisons have also been performed on timed post-coital vaginal swabs and evidence collected from sexual assault cases. Results For the semen-spiked buccal swabs, Erase outperformed the standard methods in all five laboratories and in most cases was able to provide a clean male profile from buccal swabs spiked with only 1,500 sperm. The vaginal swabs taken after consensual sex and the evidence collected from rape victims showed a similar pattern of Erase providing superior profiles. Conclusions In all samples tested, STR profiles of the male DNA fractions obtained with Erase were as good as or better than those obtained using the standard methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex M Garvin
- Confarma France SARL, Zone Industrielle Canal d'Alsace, Hombourg, 68490, France.
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Clément-Schatlo V, Marino D, Burkhardt K, Teta P, Leyvraz F, Schatlo B, Frank S, Schaller K, Castella V, Radovanovic I. Quantification, self-renewal, and genetic tracing of FL1⁺ tumor-initiating cells in a large cohort of human gliomas. Neuro Oncol 2012; 14:720-35. [PMID: 22584872 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/nos084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence has emerged that the initiation and growth of gliomas is sustained by a subpopulation of cancer-initiating cells (CICs). Because of the difficulty of using markers to tag CICs in gliomas, we have previously exploited more robust phenotypic characteristics, including a specific morphology and intrincic autofluorescence, to identify and isolate a subpopulation of glioma CICs, called FL1(+). The objective of this study was to further validate our method in a large cohort of human glioma and a mouse model of glioma. Seventy-four human gliomas of all grades and the GFAP-V(12)HA-ras B8 mouse model were analyzed for in vitro self-renewal capacity and their content of FL1(+). Nonneoplastic brain tissue and embryonic mouse brain were used as control. Genetic traceability along passages was assessed with microsatellite analysis. We found that FL1(+) cells from low-grade gliomas and from control nonneoplasic brain tissue show a lower level of autofluorescence and undergo a restricted number of cell divisions before dying in culture. In contrast, we found that FL1(+) cells derived from many but not all high-grade gliomas acquire high levels of autofluorescence and can be propagated in long-term cultures. Moreover, FL1(+) cells show a remarkable traceability over time in vitro and in vivo. Our results show that FL1(+) cells can be found in all specimens of a large cohort of human gliomas of different grades and in a model of genetically induced mouse glioma as well as nonneoplastic brain. However, their self-renewal capacity is variable and seems to be dependent on the tumor grade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginie Clément-Schatlo
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Service of Neurosurgery, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil, 4, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
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Bady P, Diserens AC, Castella V, Kalt S, Heinimann K, Hamou MF, Delorenzi M, Hegi ME. DNA fingerprinting of glioma cell lines and considerations on similarity measurements. Neuro Oncol 2012; 14:701-11. [PMID: 22570425 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/nos072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioma cell lines are an important tool for research in basic and translational neuro-oncology. Documentation of their genetic identity has become a requirement for scientific journals and grant applications to exclude cross-contamination and misidentification that lead to misinterpretation of results. Here, we report the standard 16 marker short tandem repeat (STR) DNA fingerprints for a panel of 39 widely used glioma cell lines as reference. Comparison of the fingerprints among themselves and with the large DSMZ database comprising 9 marker STRs for 2278 cell lines uncovered 3 misidentified cell lines and confirmed previously known cross-contaminations. Furthermore, 2 glioma cell lines exhibited identity scores of 0.8, which is proposed as the cutoff for detecting cross-contamination. Additional characteristics, comprising lack of a B-raf mutation in one line and a similarity score of 1 with the original tumor tissue in the other, excluded a cross-contamination. Subsequent simulation procedures suggested that, when using DNA fingerprints comprising only 9 STR markers, the commonly used similarity score of 0.8 is not sufficiently stringent to unambiguously differentiate the origin. DNA fingerprints are confounded by frequent genetic alterations in cancer cell lines, particularly loss of heterozygosity, that reduce the informativeness of STR markers and, thereby, the overall power for distinction. The similarity score depends on the number of markers measured; thus, more markers or additional cell line characteristics, such as information on specific mutations, may be necessary to clarify the origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Bady
- Laboratory of Brain Tumor Biology and Genetics, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Haas C, Hanson E, Anjos M, Bär W, Banemann R, Berti A, Borges E, Bouakaze C, Carracedo A, Carvalho M, Castella V, Choma A, De Cock G, Dötsch M, Hoff-Olsen P, Johansen P, Kohlmeier F, Lindenbergh P, Ludes B, Maroñas O, Moore D, Morerod ML, Morling N, Niederstätter H, Noel F, Parson W, Patel G, Popielarz C, Salata E, Schneider P, Sijen T, Sviežena B, Turanská M, Zatkalíková L, Ballantyne J. RNA/DNA co-analysis from blood stains—Results of a second collaborative EDNAP exercise. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2012; 6:70-80. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2011.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2010] [Revised: 02/07/2011] [Accepted: 02/21/2011] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Gehrig C, Vuichard S, Teyssier A, Castella V. Validation of the NGM SElect™ kit. Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigss.2011.09.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
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Castella V, Kummer D, Gehrig C, Hall D. DNA extraction using the QIAsymphony: Evaluation of PCR inhibitor removal. Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigss.2011.08.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Vuichard S, Borer U, Bottinelli M, Cossu C, Malik N, Meier V, Gehrig C, Sulzer A, Morerod ML, Castella V. Differential DNA extraction of challenging simulated sexual-assault samples: a Swiss collaborative study. Investig Genet 2011; 2:11. [PMID: 21542912 PMCID: PMC3119174 DOI: 10.1186/2041-2223-2-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2011] [Accepted: 05/04/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In sexual-assault cases, autosomal DNA analysis of gynecological swabs is a challenge, as the presence of a large quantity of female material may prevent detection of the male DNA. A solution to this problem is differential DNA extraction, but there is no established best practice for this. We decided to test the efficacy of a number of different protocols on simulated casework samples. Four difficult samples were sent to the nine Swiss laboratories active in forensic genetics. In each laboratory, staff used their routine protocols to separate the epithelial-cell fraction, enriched with the non-sperm DNA, from the sperm fraction. DNA extracts were then sent to the organizing laboratory for analysis. Estimates of male:female DNA ratio without differential DNA extraction ranged from 1:38 to 1:339, depending on the semen used to prepare the samples. After differential DNA extraction, most of the ratios ranged from 1:12 to 9:1, allowing detection of the male DNA. Compared with direct DNA extraction, cell separation resulted in losses of 94-98% of the male DNA. As expected, more male DNA was generally present in the sperm than in the epithelial-cell fraction. However, for about 30% of the samples, the reverse trend was seen. The recovery of male and female DNA was highly variable, depending on the laboratory involved. An experimental design similar to the one used in this study may be of assistance for local protocol testing and improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Séverine Vuichard
- Unité de génétique forensique, Centre universitaire romand de médecine légale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois et Université de Lausanne, rue du Bugnon 21, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Fumagalli L, Cabrita CJ, Castella V. Simultaneous identification of multiple mammalian species from mixed forensic samples based on mtDNA control region length polymorphism. Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigss.2009.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Gehrig C, Kummer D, Castella V. Automated DNA extraction using the QIAsymphony platform: Estimation of DNA recovery from simulated forensic stains. Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigss.2009.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Hicks T, Taroni F, Curran J, Buckleton J, Ribaux O, Castella V. Use of DNA profiles for investigation using a simulated national DNA database: Part I. Partial SGM Plus profiles. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2009; 4:232-8. [PMID: 20457051 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2009.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2009] [Revised: 08/17/2009] [Accepted: 10/02/2009] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In traditional criminal investigation, uncertainties are often dealt with using a combination of common sense, practical considerations and experience, but rarely with tailored statistical models. For example, in some countries, in order to search for a given profile in the national DNA database, it must have allelic information for six or more of the ten SGM Plus loci for a simple trace. If the profile does not have this amount of information then it cannot be searched in the national DNA database (NDNAD). This requirement (of a result at six or more loci) is not based on a statistical approach, but rather on the feeling that six or more would be sufficient. A statistical approach, however, could be more rigorous and objective and would take into consideration factors such as the probability of adventitious matches relative to the actual database size and/or investigator's requirements in a sensible way. Therefore, this research was undertaken to establish scientific foundations pertaining to the use of partial SGM Plus loci profiles (or similar) for investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Hicks
- School of Criminal Justice, University of Lausanne, Batochime, Lausanne Dorigny, Switzerland.
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Pun KM, Albrecht C, Castella V, Fumagalli L. Species identification in mammals from mixed biological samples based on mitochondrial DNA control region length polymorphism. Electrophoresis 2009; 30:1008-14. [DOI: 10.1002/elps.200800365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Allouche M, Hamdoum M, Mangin P, Castella V. Genetic identification of decomposed cadavers using nails as DNA source. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2008; 3:46-9. [PMID: 19083867 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2008.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2008] [Revised: 07/02/2008] [Accepted: 07/23/2008] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Blood or muscle can be used as a DNA source for the genetic identification of recently deceased persons. If the post mortem interval increases, bones and teeth are used. In this case, collection and DNA isolation will be more difficult and time consuming. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of nails as an alternative DNA source for the genetic identification of decomposed cadavers. DNA extraction from 5mg of fingernails from 7 volunteers using 1h cell lysis in a standard buffer and a DNA purification on QIAamp DNA mini kit columns allowed to acquire a mean quantity of 100 ng DNA/mg nail. This was unexpected, as blood and muscle contain comparable amounts of DNA. Our protocol allowed to obtain full PowerPlex 16 DNA profiles from 10 cadavers characterized by post mortem intervals ranging from 5 days to more than 6 months. The good quality of these profiles indicated that DNA from nail is well preserved. In conclusion, nails are very easy to collect and contain large amounts of good quality DNA that can be extracted within a few hours. They may therefore represent an attractive DNA source not only for routine, but also for urgent genetic identification of decomposed cadavers.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Allouche
- Service de Médecine Légale de l'Hôpital Charles Nicolle de Tunis, Tunisia
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Castella V, Mangin P. DNA profiling success and relevance of 1739 contact stains from caseworks. Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series 2008. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigss.2007.10.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Castella V, Ruedi M, Excoffier L. Contrasted patterns of mitochondrial and nuclear structure among nursery colonies of the bat Myotis myotis. J Evol Biol 2008. [DOI: 10.1046/j.1420-9101.2001.00331.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Gremaud JL, Gehrig C, Sabatasso S, Castella V. [Genetic identification of dead persons: which reference sample should be used?]. Rev Med Suisse 2008; 4:1615-1618. [PMID: 18711975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Identification of a deceased person consists in connecting this person with reference data. Within this context, DNA analyses allow to use samples coming from the deceased himself (personal reference) or from persons closely related to the deceased (familial reference). The analysis of 132 genetic identifications performed between 2003 and 2007 in Switzerland illustrates that familial references are predominantly used. Recommendations are presented to optimize the genetic identification process. In particular, personal references collected on the deceased when alive should be preferred. When this is not possible, several reference samples should be analysed in order to minimize the probability of a fortuitous connection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Luc Gremaud
- Section d'identité judiciaire, Police de sûreté valaisanne, Sion.
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Kranjcec D, Bergovec M, Rougier JS, Raguz M, Pavlovic S, Jespersen T, Castella V, Keller DI, Abriel H. Brugada Syndrome Unmasked by Accidental Inhalation of Gasoline Vapors. Pacing Clin Electro 2007; 30:1294-8. [PMID: 17897138 DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-8159.2007.00857.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Loss-of-function mutations in the gene SCN5A can cause Brugada syndrome (BrS), which is an inherited form of idiopathic ventricular fibrillation. We report the case of a 46-year-old patient, with no previous medical history, who had ventricular fibrillation after accidental inhalation of gasoline vapors. His electrocardiogram (ECG) showed a typical type-1 BrS pattern that persisted after the acute event. Genetic investigations allowed the identification of a novel SCN5A mutation leading to a frame-shift and early termination of the channel protein. Biochemical and cellular electrophysiology experiments confirmed the loss-of-function of the mutant allele. The patient was implanted with a cardioverter/defibrillator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darko Kranjcec
- Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia
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42
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Abstract
Genotypic frequencies at codominant marker loci in population samples convey information on mating systems. A classical way to extract this information is to measure heterozygote deficiencies (FIS) and obtain the selfing rate s from FIS = s/(2 - s), assuming inbreeding equilibrium. A major drawback is that heterozygote deficiencies are often present without selfing, owing largely to technical artefacts such as null alleles or partial dominance. We show here that, in the absence of gametic disequilibrium, the multilocus structure can be used to derive estimates of s independent of FIS and free of technical biases. Their statistical power and precision are comparable to those of FIS, although they are sensitive to certain types of gametic disequilibria, a bias shared with progeny-array methods but not FIS. We analyse four real data sets spanning a range of mating systems. In two examples, we obtain s = 0 despite positive FIS, strongly suggesting that the latter are artefactual. In the remaining examples, all estimates are consistent. All the computations have been implemented in a open-access and user-friendly software called rmes (robust multilocus estimate of selfing) available at http://ftp.cefe.cnrs.fr, and can be used on any multilocus data. Being able to extract the reliable information from imperfect data, our method opens the way to make use of the ever-growing number of published population genetic studies, in addition to the more demanding progeny-array approaches, to investigate selfing rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrice David
- CEFE-CNRS, UMR 5175, Montpellier & France 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 05, France.
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Giroud C, Augsburger M, Favrat B, Menetrey A, Pin MA, Rothuizen LE, Appenzeller M, Buclin T, Mathieu S, Castella V, Hazekamp A, Mangin P. [Effects of oral cannabis and dronabinol on driving capacity]. Ann Pharm Fr 2006; 64:161-72. [PMID: 16710114 DOI: 10.1016/s0003-4509(06)75309-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Two retrospective epidemiologic studies have shown that cannabis is the main psychoactive substance detected in the blood of drivers suspected of driving under the influence of psychotropic drugs. An oral administration double-blind crossover study was carried out with eight healthy male subjects, aged 22 to 30 years, all occasional cannabis smokers. Three treatments and one placebo were administered to all participants at a two week interval: 20 mg dronabinol, 16.5 mg D9-tétrahydrocannabinol (THC) and 45.7 mg THC as a cannabis milk decoction. Participants were asked to report the subjective drug effects and their willingness to drive under various circumstances on a visual analog scale. Clinical observations, a psychomotor test and a tracking test on a driving simulator were also carried out. Compared to cannabis smoking, THC, 11-OH-THC and THC-COOH blood concentrations remained low through the whole study (<13.1 ng THC/mL,<24.7 ng 11-OH-THC/mL and<99.9 ng THC-COOH/mL). Two subjects experienced deep anxiety symptoms suggesting that this unwanted side-effect may occur when driving under the influence of cannabis or when driving and smoking a joint. No clear association could be found between these adverse reactions and a susceptibility gene to propensity to anxiety and psychotic symptoms (genetic polymorphism of the catechol-O-methyltransferase). The questionnaires have shown that the willingness to drive was lower when the drivers were assigned an insignificant task and was higher when the mission was of crucial importance. The subjects were aware of the effects of cannabis and their performances on the road sign and tracking test were greatly impaired, especially after ingestion of the strongest dose. The Cannabis Influence Factor (CIF) which relies on the molar ratio of active and inactive cannabinoids in blood provided a good estimate of the fitness to drive.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Giroud
- Laboratoire de toxicologie et chimie forensiques, institut universitaire de médecine légale (IUML), rue du Bugnon 21, CH 1005 Lausanne, Suisse.
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Robinson N, Castella V, Saudan C, Sottas PE, Schweizer C, Dimo-Simonin N, Mangin P, Saugy M. Elevated and similar urinary testosterone/epitestosterone ratio in all samples of a competition testing: suspicion of a manipulation. Forensic Sci Int 2005; 163:148-51. [PMID: 16337352 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2005.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2005] [Revised: 11/02/2005] [Accepted: 11/03/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The case of seven urine samples collected for anti-doping purposes during a cycling stage race with moderately elevated testosterone and epitestosterone ratio (T/E) is reported. The very low probability of having all seven urine samples with such similar elevated T/E ratio (from 3.2 to 4.7) was very suspicious. Different pattern classification tools were tested to categorize the most similar steroid profiles, but none of the models enabled a clear classification of the different urine samples. Subsequently, genetic profiling of all urine samples was performed and demonstrated that three of the seven samples were collected from the same cyclist. Finally, the International Federation confirmed DNA profiling results. This suggests that urinary steroid data using several methodologies are not appropriate for identification purposes and to an extent not unique to individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Robinson
- Laboratoire Suisse d'Analyse du Dopage, Institut Universitaire de Médecine Légale, rue du Bugnon 21, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Castella V, Dimo-Simonin N, Brandt-Casadevall C, Mangin P. Forensic evaluation of the QIAshredder/QIAamp DNA extraction procedure. Forensic Sci Int 2005; 156:70-3. [PMID: 16326058 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2005.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2005] [Revised: 11/08/2005] [Accepted: 11/08/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The potential to recover genetic profiles from evidence samples has substantially increased since robust and sensitive amplification kits are commercially available. Nevertheless, even the best amplification kits cannot succeed when the extracted DNA is of poor quality. In this study we compared the efficiency of silica (QIAamp DNA Mini Kit), Chelex and Phenol-Chloroform (PC) based protocols to recover DNA from different categories of samples (blood and saliva on cotton swabs, muscles, cigarette butts, saliva on foods and epidermal cells on clothes). The efficiency of the QIAamp system was improved when samples were treated with QIAshredder homogenizing columns. Overall, conventional Chelex or PC protocols allowed to recover conclusive SGM Plus profiles for 61% of the samples considered in this study. Contrastingly, 82% of them were successfully genotyped after being treated with a combination of QIAshredder and QIAamp systems. Our results further suggested that the QIAshredder/QIAamp protocol was particularly helpful to analyze evidence samples with few DNA and/or that were collected on substrates containing PCR inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Castella
- Laboratoire de Génétique Forensique, Institut Universitaire de Médecine Légale, rue du Bugnon 21, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Castella V, Dimo-Simonin N, Brandt-Casadevall C, Robinson N, Saugy M, Taroni F, Mangin P. Forensic identification of urine samples: a comparison between nuclear and mitochondrial DNA markers. Int J Legal Med 2005; 120:67-72. [PMID: 16133560 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-005-0004-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2004] [Accepted: 05/20/2005] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Urine samples from 20 male volunteers of European Caucasian origin were stored at 4 degrees C over a 4-month period in order to compare the identification potential of nuclear DNA (nDNA) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markers. The amount of nDNA recovered from urines dramatically declined over time. Consequently, nDNA likelihood ratios (LRs) greater than 1,000 were obtained for 100, 70 and 55% of the urines analysed after 6, 60 and 120 days, respectively. For the mtDNA, HVI and HVII sequences were obtained for all samples tested, whatever the period considered. Nevertheless, the highest mtDNA LR of 435 was relatively low compared to its nDNA equivalent. Indeed, LRs obtained with only three nDNA loci could easily exceed this value and are quite easier to obtain. Overall, the joint use of nDNA and mtDNA markers enabled the 20 urine samples to be identified, even after the 4-month period.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Castella
- Laboratoire de Génétique Forensique, Institut Universitaire de Médecine Légale, rue du Bugnon 21, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Castella V, Dimo-Simonin N, Brandt-Casadevall C, Mangin P. Consensus profiles and databasing of casework samples amplified with 34 PCR cycles: an empirical approach. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2004. [DOI: 10.1016/s0531-5131(03)01640-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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48
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Abstract
Alleles and haplotypes frequencies for 10 Y-chromosome STR loci (DYS19, DYS385 I/II, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS438 and DYS439), included in the Y-Plex6 and Y-Plex5 kits were determined for a Tunisian population sample of 100 male individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Brandt-Casadevall
- Institut Universitaire de Médecine Légale, Rue du Bugnon 21, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Abstract
Analyses of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region polymorphism and of variation at 10 nuclear microsatellite loci were used to investigate the mechanisms and genetic consequences of postglacial expansion of Myotis myotis in Europe. Initial sampling consisted of 480 bats genotyped in 24 nursery colonies arranged along a transect of approximately 3000 km. The phylogeographical survey based on mtDNA sequences revealed the existence of major genetic subdivisions across this area, with several suture zones between haplogroups. Such zones of secondary contact were found in the Alps and Rhodopes, whereas other potential barriers to gene flow, like the Pyrenees, did not coincide with genetic discontinuities. Areas of population admixture increased locally the genetic diversity of colonies, which confounded the northward decrease in nucleotide diversity predicted using classical models of postglacial range expansion. However, when analyses were restricted to a subset of 15 nurseries originating from a single presumed glacial refugium, mtDNA polymorphism did indeed support a northwards decrease in diversity. Populations were also highly structured (PhiST = 0.384). Conversely, the same subset of colonies showed no significant latitudinal decrease in microsatellite diversity and much less population structure (FST = 0.010), but pairwise genetic differentiation at these nuclear markers was strongly correlated with increasing geographical distance. Together, this evidence suggests that alleles carried via male bats have maintained enough nuclear gene flow to counteract the effects of recurrent bottlenecks generally associated with recolonization processes. As females are highly philopatric, we argue that the maternally transmitted mtDNA marker better reflects the situation of past, historical gene flow, whereas current levels of gene flow are better reflected by microsatellite markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Ruedi
- Natural History Museum, CP 6436, 1211 Geneva 6, Switzerland.
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Castella V, Ruedi M, Excoffier L, Ibáñez C, Arlettaz R, Hausser J. Is the Gibraltar strait a barrier to gene flow for the bat Myotis myotis (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)? Mol Ecol 2000; 9:1761-72. [PMID: 11091312 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-294x.2000.01069.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Because of their role in limiting gene flow, geographical barriers like mountains or seas often coincide with intraspecific genetic discontinuities. Although the Strait of Gibraltar represents such a potential barrier for both plants and animals, few studies have been conducted on its impact on gene flow. Here we test this effect on a bat species (Myotis myotis) which is apparently distributed on both sides of the strait. Six colonies of 20 Myotis myotis each were sampled in southern Spain and northern Morocco along a linear transect of 1350 km. Results based on six nuclear microsatellite loci reveal no significant population structure within regions, but a complete isolation between bats sampled on each side of the strait. Variability at 600 bp of a mitochondrial gene (cytochrome b) confirms the existence of two genetically distinct and perfectly segregating clades, which diverged several million years ago. Despite the narrowness of the Gibraltar Strait (14 km), these molecular data suggest that neither males, nor females from either region have ever reproduced on the opposite side of the strait. Comparisons of molecular divergence with bats from a closely related species (M. blythii) suggest that the North African clade is possibly a distinct taxon warranting full species rank. We provisionally refer to it as Myotis cf punicus Felten 1977, but a definitive systematic understanding of the whole Mouse-eared bat species complex awaits further genetic sampling, especially in the Eastern Mediterranean areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Castella
- Laboratoire de Zoologie, Institut d'Ecologie, Bâtiment de Biologie, Université de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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