Abstract
There are currently no tests available to quantify total non-human mammalian mtDNA. Standard universal DNA quantification tests are unsuitable due to the large size difference between nuclear and mitochondrial genomes and the ubiquity of human mtDNA. A method has therefore been developed to quantify total mammalian mtDNA and total human mtDNA present in a sample using SYBR Green.
Mammalian primers designed to react with all mammals were designed on the 12S and human specific primers were designed on the cytochrome b gene. Each primer set was reacted separately with sample and SYBR Green and detected using RT-PCR. A standard curve was developed using dilutions ranging from 1 billion copies to 100 copies of mtDNA.
Twenty-four human samples were analysed and an average log (copy number) human/universal ratio of 1.00 was obtained. Samples falling below this ratio will contain some non-human mtDNA while samples falling above this ratio contain human mtDNA only.
Twenty-nine mammal samples were also tested. 96.6% of these showed human contamination to some extent. This test is able to quantify mtDNA down to the femtogramme (10E−15g) level.
Mammalian primers designed to react with all mammals were designed on the 12S and human specific primers were designed on the cytochrome b gene. Each primer set was reacted separately with sample and SYBR Green and detected using RT-PCR. A standard curve was developed using dilutions ranging from 1 billion copies to 100 copies of mtDNA.
Twenty-four human samples were analysed and an average log (copy number) human/universal ratio of 1.00 was obtained. Samples falling below this ratio will contain some non-human mtDNA while samples falling above this ratio contain human mtDNA only.
Twenty-nine mammal samples were also tested. 96.6% of these showed human contamination to some extent. This test is able to quantify mtDNA down to the femtogramme (10E−15g) level.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 71-73 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series |
Volume | 1 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Aug 2008 |
Event | 23rd Congress of the International Society for Forensic Genetics - Buenos Aires, Argentina Duration: 15 Sept 2009 → 18 Sept 2009 |
Keywords
- quantification
- human mtDNA
- non-human mtDNA
- human contamination