Hong-dan Wang

Genetic diversities of 21 non-CODIS autosomal STRs of a Chinese Tibetan ethnic minority group in Lhasa

In the present study, we investigated 21 short tandem repeat (STR) loci (D6S474, D12ATA63, D22S1045, D10S1248, D1S1677, D11S4463, D1S1627, D3S4529, D2S441, D6S1017, D4S2408, D19S433, D17S1301, D1GATA113, D18S853, D20S482, D14S1434, D9S1122, D2S1776, D10S1435, D5S2500), which are not included in the Combined DNA Index System and Amelogenin locus in 104 randomly selected healthy autochthonous individuals from the Tibetan ethnic minority group residing in the Lhasa region, Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Allelic frequencies, common forensic statistical parameters, and the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium in this population were calculated with a modified PowerState V12.xls. A total of 143 alleles were found in the Tibetan group with corresponding allelic frequencies ranging from 0.005 to 0.582. The observed heterozygosity, the expected heterozygosity, the power of discrimination, the power of exclusion, and the polymorphic information content ranged from 0.615 to 0.817, 0.559 to 0.787, 0.727 to 0.926, 0.310 to 0.632, and 0.488 to 0.760, respectively. Chi-square tests of the observed genotype frequencies and expected genotype frequencies in the samples showed no departure from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium at all loci except for D5S2500. Our results demonstrate that these 21 STRs are highly polymorphic and suitable for anthropological research, population genetics, and forensic paternity testing and human individual identification in this region, and can enrich Chinese ethnical genetic informational resources.

Genetic polymorphism analysis of 15 STR loci in Chinese Hui ethnic group residing in Qinghai province of China

In the present study, we investigated the diversity distributions of allelic frequencies of 15 short tandem repeats (STRs) loci in a sample of Chinese Hui ethnic group in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The allelic frequencies of the 15 STR loci (D8S1179, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D3S1358, TH01, D13S317, D16S539, D2S1338, D19S433, vWA, TPOX, D18S51, D5S818 and FGA) were obtained from 2975 unrelated healthy Hui individuals. The STR genotyping data of all the samples were generated by DNA extraction, multiple amplification, GeneScan and genotype analysis. The genetic distances among different populations were calculated by using Nei’s method and a phylogenetic tree was constructed based on the allelic frequencies of the same 15 STR loci using the neighbor-joining method. A total of 185 alleles were observed in the Hui population, with the corresponding allelic frequencies ranging from 0.0002 to 0.5322. Chi-Square tests showed that all STR loci were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. The forensic statistical parameters of all the loci showed high values. The population data in this study were compared with the previously published population data from other ethnics or areas. The Hui population showed significant differences from the Minnan Han, Uigur, Ewenki, Yi, Tibetan, Maonan and Malay ethnic minority groups in some loci, and from the South Morocco population and the Moroccan population in all the loci. Our results are valuable for human individual identification and paternity testing in the Chinese Hui population and are expected to enrich the genetic information resources of Chinese populations.

Genetic data provided by 21 autosomal STR loci from Chinese Tujia ethnic group

The aim of this study was to investigate allelic frequency distribution and forensic genetic parameters of autosomal short tandem repeats (STR) loci of the population samples from 107 Tujia individuals from Chinese Hubei Province. Twenty-one autosomal STR genetic markers (D9S1122, D6S474, D6S1017, D5S2500, D4S2408, D3S4529, D2S441, D2S1776, D22S1045, D20S482, D1S1677, D1S1627, D1GATA113, D19S433, D18S853, D17S1301, D11S4463, D12ATA63, D10S1248, D10S1435 and D14S1434) were simultaneously amplified in a new multiplex polymerase chain reaction system. 155 alleles for all the STR loci from the Tujia population were observed and the corresponding allelic frequencies ranged from 0.005 to 0.589. Expected heterozygosity, polymorphic information content, power of discrimination and power of exclusion of the 21 STR loci in the Tujia population were from 0.579 to 0.824, from 0.525 to 0.802, from 0.773 to 0.945 and from 0.257 to 0.641, respectively. Our results indicate that the autosomal STRs multiplex system provides highly informative STR data and could be useful in forensic individual identification and parentage testing in this region.

Allele Polymorphism and Haplotype Diversity of HLA-A, -B and -DRB1 Loci in Sequence-Based Typing for Chinese Uyghur Ethnic Group

Background Previous studies indicate that the frequency distributions of HLA alleles and haplotypes vary from one ethnic group to another or between the members of the same ethnic group living in different geographic areas. It is necessary and meaningful to study the high-resolution allelic and haplotypic distributions of HLA loci in different groups. Methodology/Principal Findings High-resolution HLA typing for the Uyghur ethnic minority group using polymerase chain reaction-sequence-based-typing method was first reported. HLA-A, -B and -DRB1 allelic distributions were determined in 104 unrelated healthy Uyghur individuals and haplotypic frequencies and linkage disequilibrium parameters for HLA loci were estimated using the maximum-likelihood method. A total of 35 HLA-A, 51 HLA-B and 33 HLA-DRB1 alleles were identified at the four-digit level in the population. High frequency alleles were HLA-A*1101 (13.46%), A*0201 (12.50%), A*0301 (10.10%); HLA-B*5101(8.17%), B*3501(6.73%), B*5001 (6.25%); HLA-DRB1*0701 (16.35%), DRB1*1501 (8.65%) and DRB1*0301 (7.69%). The two-locus haplotypes at the highest frequency were HLA-A*3001-B*1302 (2.88%), A*2402-B*5101 (2.86%); HLA-B*5001-DRB1*0701 (4.14%) and B*0702-DRB1*1501 (3.37%). The three-locus haplotype at the highest frequency was HLA-A*3001-B*1302-DRB1*0701(2.40%). Significantly high linkage disequilibrium was observed in six two-locus haplotypes, with their corresponding relative linkage disequilibrium parameters equal to 1. Neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree between the Uyghur group and other previously reported populations was constructed on the basis of standard genetic distances among the populations calculated using the four-digit sequence-level allelic frequencies at HLA-A, HLA-B and HLA-DRB1 loci. The phylogenetic analyses reveal that the Uyghur group belongs to the northwestern Chinese populations and is most closely related to the Xibe group, and then to Kirgiz, Hui, Mongolian and Northern Han. Conclusions/Significance The present findings could be useful to elucidate the genetic background of the population and to provide valuable data for HLA matching in clinical bone marrow transplantation, HLA-linked disease-association studies, population genetics, human identification and paternity tests in forensic sciences.

Allelic polymorphic investigation of 21 autosomal short tandem repeat loci in a Chinese Bai ethnic group

Population genetic data of 21 autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) were obtained in a sample of 106 unrelated healthy individuals of Bai ethnic minority born in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province. We observed 138 alleles with corresponding allelic frequencies ranging from 0.005 to 0.575. The genotypic frequency distributions at those STR loci were consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (Bonferronis correction was used for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium tests). The combined probability of exclusion, power of discrimination, probability of matching value for all 21 STR loci were 0.9999975729, 0.999999999999999999872 and 1.28×10(-19), respectively. The population data in this study showed significant differences from the previously published population data of Tibetan and Salar groups in some loci.

Allelic frequency distributions of 21 non-combined DNA index system STR loci in a Russian ethnic minority group from Inner Mongolia, China.

We studied the allelic frequency distributions and statistical forensic parameters of 21 new short tandem repeat (STR) loci and the amelogenin locus, which are not included in the combined DNA index system (CODIS), in a Russian ethnic minority group from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. A total of 114 bloodstain samples from unrelated individuals were extracted and co-amplified with four fluorescence-labeled primers in a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system. Using capillary electrophoresis, the PCR products of the 21 STR loci were separated and genotyped. A total of 161 alleles were observed in the Russian ethnic minority group, and corresponding allelic frequencies ranged from 0.0044 to 0.5965. The 21 non-CODIS STR loci of the Russian ethnic minority group were characterized by high genetic diversity and therefore may be useful for elucidating the population’s genetic background, for individual identification, and for paternity testing in forensic practice.

Developmental validation of the AGCU 21+1 STR kit: A novel multiplex assay for forensic application

In this study, we describe the developmental validation assay performed on a novel designed STR multiplex system, AGCU 21+1 STR kit. This kit contains a sex‐determining locus amelogenin and 21 noncombined DNA index system STR loci, that are, D6S474, D12ATA63, D22S1045, D10S1248, D1S1677, D11S4463, D1S1627, D3S4529, D2S441, D6S1017, D4S2408, D19S433, D17S1301, D1GATA113, D18S853, D20S482, D14S1434, D9S1122, D2S1776, D10S1435, and D5S2500. The 21+1 kit was validated by a series of tests including optimized PCR conditions, sensitivity, precision and accuracy, stutter ratio, DNA mixture, inhibitors, and species specificity according to the revised validation guidelines issued by the Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM). Our results in this study show that the kit is a useful tool for forensic application.

Genetic polymorphism analyses of 30 InDels in Chinese Xibe ethnic group and its population genetic differentiations with other groups

In the present study, we obtained population genetic data and forensic parameters of 30 InDel loci in Chinese Xibe ethnic group from northwestern China and studied the genetic relationships between the studied Xibe group and other reference groups. The observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.1704 at HLD118 locus to 0.5247 at HLD92 locus while the expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.1559 at HLD118 locus to 0.4997 at HLD101 locus. The cumulative power of exclusion and total probability of discrimination power in the studied group were 0.9867 and 0.9999999999902 for the 30 loci, respectively. Analyses of structure, PCA, interpopulation differentiations and phylogenetic tree revealed that the Xibe group had close genetic relationships with South Korean, Beijing Han and Guangdong Han groups. The results indicated that these 30 loci should only be used as a complement for autosomal STRs in paternity cases but could provide an acceptable level of discrimination in forensic identification cases in the studied Xibe group. Further studies should be conducted for better understanding of the Xibe genetic background.

Genetic Variability and Phylogenetic Analysis of Han Population from Guanzhong Region of China based on 21 non-CODIS STR Loci

In the present study, we presented the population genetic data and their forensic parameters of 21 non-CODIS autosomal STR loci in Chinese Guanzhong Han population. A total of 166 alleles were observed with corresponding allelic frequencies ranging from 0.0018 to 0.5564. No STR locus was observed to deviate from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and linkage disequilibriums after applying Bonferroni correction. The cumulative power of discrimination and probability of exclusion of all the 21 STR loci were 0.99999999999999999993814 and 0.999998184, respectively. The results of genetic distances, phylogenetic trees and principal component analysis revealed that the Guanzhong Han population had a closer relationship with Ningxia Han, Tujia and Bai groups than other populations tested. In summary, these 21 STR loci showed a high level of genetic polymorphisms for the Guanzhong Han population and could be used for forensic applications and the studies of population genetics.

Genetic polymorphisms of 20 short tandem repeat loci from the Han population in Henan, China

The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic polymorphism of 20 short tandem repeat (STR) loci including D1S1656, D2S1338, D3S1358, D5S818, D6S1043, D7S820, D8S1179, D12S391, D13S317, D16S539, D18S51, D19S433, D21S11, CSF1PO, FGA, Penta D, Penta E, TH01, TPOX, and vWA in Han population of Henan, China and to assess its value in forensic science. Genomic DNA was extracted from 274 blood samples of unrelated healthy individuals in the Henan Han population. Alleles were amplified with PowerPlex® 21 system kit and PCR products were detected with ABI3130 genetic analyzer (Applied Biosystems) and the data were analyzed with modified PowerStats v1.2. A total of 229 alleles were observed in this Han population and the allelic frequencies ranged from 0.0020 to 0.5090 in the present study. Observed genotype distributions for each locus do not show deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium expectations (p < 0.05). The combined power of discrimination, combined power of exclusion, and combined matching probability of this 20 STR loci were 0.999999999, 0.999999994603, and 4.0433 × 10−24, respectively. The 20 STR loci are highly polymorphic in the Han population of Henan, China and they may be of great value in forensic science and human population genetics.