Forensic identification

Abstract

The inventions provides allelic ladder mixtures and individual alleles suitable for use in such mixtures. The allelic ladder mixtures give improved identification and distinguishing capabilities, particularly suitable in forensic investigations.

1 . An allelic ladder mixture comprising one or more of the following allelic ladders: 
 i) an allelic ladder for locus HUMVWFA31/A comprising one or more alleles with a short tandem repeat sequence consisting of sequences:                              TCTA TCTG TCTA (TCTG) 4  (TCTA) 3  -;   SEQ ID NO 1         or           TCTA (TCTG) 4  (TCTA) 7  -;   SEQ ID NO 2     or           (TCTA) 2  (TCTG) 4  (TCTA) 3  TCCA (TCTA) 3  -;   SEQ ID NO 3                               ii) an allelic ladder for locus HUMTHO1 comprising an allele with a short tandem repeat sequence consisting of sequence:                                      (TCAT) 4  CAT (TCAT) 7  TCGT TCAT -;   SEQ ID NO 4                             iii) an allelic ladder for locus D8S1179 comprising an allele with a short tandem repeat sequence consisting of sequence:                                      (TCTA) 2  TCTG(TCTA) 16  -;   SEQ ID NO 6                             iv) an allelic ladder for locus HUMFIBRA/FGA comprising one or more alleles with a short tandem repeat sequence consisting of sequences:                              (TTTC) 3  TTTT TTCT (CTTT) 5  T (CTTT) 3     SEQ ID NO 7         CTCC (TTCC) 2  -;     or           (TTTC) 3  TTTT TTCT (CTTT) 13  CCTT   SEQ ID NO 8     (CTTT) 5  CTCC (TTCC) 2  -;     or           (TTTC) 3  TTTT TTCT (CTTT) 16  CCTT   SEQ ID NO 9     (CTTT) 5  CTCC (TITCC) 2  -;     or           (TTTC) 4  TTTT TT (CTTT) 15  (CTTC) 3     SEQ ID NO 10     (CTTT) 3  CTCC (TTCC) 4  -;     or           (TTTC) 4  TTTT TT (CTTT) 16  (CTTC) 3     SEQ ID NO 11     (CTTT) 3  CTCC (TTCC) 4  -;     or           (TTTC) 4  TTTT TT (CTTT) 17  (CTTC) 3     SEQ ID NO 12     (CTTT) 3  CTCC (TTCC) 4  -;     or           (TTTC) 4  TTTT TT (CTTT) 8  (CTGT) 4     SEQ ID NO 13     (CTTT) 13  (CTTC) 4  (CTTT) 3  CTCC     (TTCC) 4  -;     or           (TTTC) 4  TTTT TT (CTTT) 8  (CTGT) 5     SEQ ID NO 14     (CTTT) 13  (CTTC) 4  (CTTT) 3  CTCC     (TTCC) 4  -;     or           (TTTC) 4  TTTT TT (CTTT) 11  (CTGT) 3     SEQ ID NO 15     (CTTT) 14  (CTTC) 3  (CTTT) 3  CTCC     (TTCC) 4  -;     or           (TTTC) 4  TTTT TT (CTTT) 10  (CTGT) 5     SEQ ID NO 16     (CTTT) 13  (CTTC) 4  (CTTT) 3  CTCC     (TTCC) 4  -;     or           (TTTC) 4  TTTT TT (CTTT) 12  (CTGT) 5     SEQ ID NO 17     (CTTT) 14  (CTTC) 3  (CTTT) 3  CTCC     (TTCC) 4  -;     or           (TTTC) 4  TTTT TT (CTTT) 14  (CTGT) 3     SEQ ID NO 18     (CTTT) 14  (CTTC) 4  (CTTT) 3  CTCC     (TTCC) 4  -;                                                                            v) an allelic ladder for locus D21S11 comprising one or more alleles with a short tandem repeat sequence consisting of sequences:                              (TCTA) 4  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TA(TCTA) 3  TCA   SEQ ID NO 19         (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA)6 TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 5  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA)3 TCA (TCTA) 2     SEQ ID NO 20     TCCATA (TCTA) 9  TCGTCT -     or           (TCTA) 5  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TCA (TCTA) 2     SEQ ID NO 21     TCCATA (TCTA) 10  TCGTCT-;     or           (TCTA) 4  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 22     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 8  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 5  (TCTG) 5  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 23     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 9  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 4  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 24     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 10  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 4  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 25     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 11  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 6  (TCTG) 5  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 26     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 11  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 5  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 27     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 12  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 5  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 28     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 11  TA TCTA     TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 5  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 29     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 12  TA TCTA     TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 5  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 30     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 13  TA TCTA     TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 5  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 31     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 14  TATCTA     TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 10  (TCTG) 5  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 32     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 12  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 11  (TCTG) 5  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 33     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 12  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 11  (TCTG) 5  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 34     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 13  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 13  (TCTG) 5  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 35     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 12  TCGTCT -;                                                                                              vi) an allelic ladder for locus D18S51 comprising an allele with a short tandem repeat sequence consisting of sequence: 
 (AGAA) 8 —SEQ ID NO 36.  
   
     
     
         2 . An allelic ladder mixture according to  claim 1  in which the mixture includes allelic ladders for a plurality of loci selected from HUMVWFA31/A, HUMTHO1, D8S1179, HUMFIBRA/FGA, D21S11 and D18S51.  
     
     
         3 . An allelic ladder mixture according to  claim 1  the mixture including allelic ladders for at least four loci.  
     
     
         4 . An allelic ladder mixture according to  claim 1  the mixture includes an amelogenin sex test.  
     
     
         5 . An allelic ladder mixture according to  claim 1  in which the allelic ladders in the mixture each include at least 7 alleles.  
     
     
         6 . An allelic ladder mixture according to  claim 1  in which the ladders, if present in the mixture, are provided such that: the HUMVWFA31/A allelic ladder includes at least 9 alleles; the HUMTHO1 allelic ladder includes at least 7; the D8S1179 allelic ladder includes at least 9 alleles; the HUMFIBRA/FGA allelic ladder includes at least 18 alleles or is present as HUMFIBRA/FGA/LW and HUMFIBRA/FGA/HW with the HUMFIBRA/FGA/LW ladder including at least 16 alleles, the HUMFIBRA/FGA/HW ladder including at least 6 alleles; the D21S11 allelic ladder includes at least 14 alleles; and the D18S51 ladder includes at least 15 alleles.  
     
     
         7 . An allelic ladder mixture according to  claim 1  in which one or more of the allelic ladders in the mixture comprises at least 4 pairs of alleles 4 base pairs from each other.  
     
     
         8 . An allelic ladder mixture according to  claim 1  in which the ladders, if present in the mixture, are provided such that: the HUMVWFA31/A allelic ladder includes at least 7 pairs of alleles 4 base pairs from each other; the HUMTHO1 allelic ladder includes at least 5 pairs of alleles 4 base pairs from each other; the D8S1179 allelic ladder includes at least 8 pairs of alleles 4 base pairs from each other; the HUMFIBRA/FGA allelic ladder includes at least 17 pairs of alleles 4 base pairs from each other; the D21S11 allelic ladder includes at least 3 pairs of alleles 4 base pairs from each other; and the D18S51 ladder includes at least 13 pairs of alleles 4 base pairs from each other.  
     
     
         9 . An allelic ladder mixture according to  claim 8  in which the D21S11 allelic ladder includes at least 8 pairs of alleles 8 base pairs from each other.  
     
     
         10 . An allelic ladder mixture according to  claim 1  in which the ladders, if present, are provided such that the HUMVWFA31/A ladder includes alleles ranging from 130 base pairs upwards and/or from 166 base pairs downwards; the HUMTHO1 ladder includes alleles ranging from 150 base pairs upwards and/or 189 base pairs downwards; the D8S1179 ladder includes alleles ranging from 157 base pairs upwards and/or 201 base pairs downwards; the HUMFIBRA/FGA ladder includes alleles ranging from 173 base pairs upwards and/or 298 base pairs downwards; the D21S11 ladder includes alleles ranging from 203 base pairs upwards and/or 255 base pairs downwards; and the D18S51 ladder includes alleles ranging from 270 base pairs upwards and/or 326 downwards.  
     
     
         11 . An allelic ladder mixture comprising an allelic ladder for one or more of the following loci, with lowest and highest allele designation as follows:  
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                   Lowest 
                   Highest 
                 
                     
                   Locus 
                   Designation 
                   Designation 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                   a) HUMVWFA31/A 
                   10 
                   21 
                 
                     
                   b) HUMTH01 
                   4 
                   13.3 
                 
                     
                   c) D8S1179 
                   7 
                   19 
                 
                     
                   d) HUMFIBRA/FGA 
                   16.1 
                   50.2 
                 
                     
                   e) D21S11 
                   53 
                   81 
                 
                     
                   f) D18S51 
                   8 
                   27 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
                
                
                
               
               
                
               
            
             
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
         12 . An allelic ladder mixture according to  claim 11  in which the loci ladders have both the upper and lower limits specified.  
     
     
         13 . An allelic ladder mixture according to  claim 11  in which the mixture includes allelic ladders for loci HUMVWFA31/A, HUMTHO1, D8S1179, HUMFIBRA/FGA, D21S11 and D18S51.  
     
     
         14 . A method of analysing one or more samples comprising: 
 a) obtaining genomic DNA from the sample;    b) amplifying the DNA;    c) obtaining an indication of one or more of the constituent parts of the sample; and comparing the indications with an allelic ladder mixture comprising one or more of the following allelic ladders: 
 i) an allelic ladder for locus HUMVWFA31/A comprising one or more alleles with a short tandem repeat sequence consisting of sequences:  
                           TCTA TCTG TCTA (TCTG) 4  (TCTA) 3  -;   SEQ ID NO 1         or           TCTA (TCTG) 4  (TCTA) 7  -;   SEQ ID NO 2     or           (TCTA) 2  (TCTG) 4  (TCTA) 3  TCCA (TCTA) 3  -   SEQ ID NO 3                             
 ii) an allelic ladder for locus HUMTHO1 comprising an allele with a short tandem repeat sequence consisting of sequence:  
                                   (TCAT) 4  CAT (TCAT) 7  TCGT TCAT -;   SEQ ID NO 4                           
 iii) an allelic ladder for locus D8S1179 comprising an allele with a short tandem repeat sequence consisting of sequence:  
                                   (TCTA) 2  TCTG (TCTA) 16  -;   SEQ ID NO 6                           
 iv) an allelic ladder for locus HUMFIBRA/FGA comprising one or more alleles with a short tandem repeat sequence consisting of the sequences:  
                           (TTTC) 3  TTTT TTCT (CTTT) 5  T (CTTT) 3     SEQ ID NO 7         CTCC (TTCC) 2  -;     or           (TTTC) 3  TTTT TTCT (CTTT) 13  CCTT   SEQ ID NO 8     (CTTT) 5  CTCC (TTCC) 2  -;     or           (TTTC) 3  TTTT TTCT (CTTT) 16  CCTT   SEQ ID NO 9     (CTTT) 5  CTCC (TTCC) 2  -;     or           (TTTC) 4  TTTT TT (CTTT) 15  (CTTC) 3     SEQ ID NO 10     (CTTT) 3  CTCC (TTCC) 4  -;     or           (TTTC) 4  TTTT TT (CTTT) 16  (CTTC) 3     SEQ ID NO 11     (CTTT) 3  CTCC (TTCC) 4  -;     or           (TTTC) 4  TTTT TT (CTTT) 17  (CTTC) 3     SEQ ID NO 12     (CTTT) 3  CTCC (TTCC) 4  -;     or           (TTTC) 4  TTTT TT (CTTT) 8  (CTGT) 4     SEQ ID NO 13     (CTTT) 13  (CTTC) 4  (CTTT) 3  CTCC     (TTCC) 4  -;     or           (TTTC) 4  TTTT TT (CTTT) 8  (CTGT) 5     SEQ ID NO 14     (CTTT) 13  (CTTC) 4  (CTTT) 3  CTCC     (TTCC) 4  -;     or           (TTTC) 4  TTTT TT (CTTT) 11  (CTGT) 3     SEQ ID NO 15     (CTTT) 14  (CTTC) 3  (CTTT) 3  CTCC     (TTCC) 4  -;     or           (TTTC) 4  TTTT TT (CTTT) 10  (CTGT) 5     SEQ ID NO 16     (CTTT) 13  (CTTC) 4  (CTTT) 3  CTCC     (TTCC) 4  -;     or           (TTTC) 4  TTTT TT (CTTT) 12  (CTGT) 5     SEQ ID NO 17     (CTTT) 14  (CTTC) 3  (CTTT) 3  CTCC     (TTCC) 4  -;     or           (TTTC) 4  TTTT TT (CTTT) 14  (CTGT) 3     SEQ ID NO 18     (CTTT) 14  (CTTC) 4  (CTTT) 3  CTCC     (TTCC) 4  -;                                                                          
 v) an allelic ladder for locus D21S11 comprising one or more alleles with a short tandem repeat sequence consisting of sequences:  
                           (TCTA) 4  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TA(TCTA) 3  TCA   SEQ ID NO 19         (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 6  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 5  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TCA (TCTA) 2     SEQ ID NO 20     TCCATA (TCTA) 9  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 5  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TCA (TCTA) 2     SEQ ID NO 21     TCCATA (TCTA) 10  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 4  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 22     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 8  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 5  (TCTG) 5  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 23     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 9  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 4  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 24     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 10  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 4  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 25     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 11  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 6  (TCTG) 5  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 26     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 11  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 5  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 27     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 12  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 5  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 28     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 11  TA TCTA     TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 5  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 29     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 12  TA TCTA     TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 5  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 30     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 13  TA TCTA     TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 5  (TCTG) 6  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 31     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 14  TATCTA     TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 10  (TCTG) 5  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 32     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 12  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 11  (TCTG) 5  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 33     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 12  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 11  (TCTG) 5  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 34     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 13  TCGTCT -;     or           (TCTA) 13  (TCTG) 5  (TCTA) 3  TA (TCTA) 3     SEQ ID NO 35     TCA (TCTA) 2  TCCATA (TCTA) 12  TCGTCT -;                                                                                            
 vi) an allelic ladder for locus D18S51 comprising an allele with a short tandem repeat sequence consisting of sequence:  
   (AGAA) 8 —SEQ ID NO 36.    
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14  in which the DNA sample is one or more of a sample taken from the scene of a crime, a sample associated with the scene of a crime, a sample obtained from a suspect, a sample obtained from a human under consideration or a reference sample.  
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 14  in which the sample is amplified using a polymerase chain reaction and primers for one or more of loci HUMVWFA31/A, HUMTHO1, D8S1179, HUMFIBRA/FGA, D21S11 or D18S51 are employed.