Jing Yan

Screening and confirmation of microRNA markers for forensic body fluid identification

MicroRNAs (miRNAs, ∼22 nucleotides) are small, non-protein coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. MiRNAs can express in a tissue-specific manner, and have been introduced to forensic body fluid identification. In this study, we employed the qPCR-array (TaqMan(®) Array Human MicroRNA Cards) to screen the body fluid-specific miRNAs. Seven candidate miRNAs were identified as potentially body fluid-specific and could be used as forensically relevant body fluid markers: miR16 and miR486 for venous blood, miR888 and miR891a for semen, miR214 for menstrual blood, miR124a for vaginal secretions, and miR138-2 for saliva. The candidate miRNA markers were then validated via hydrolysis probes quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (TaqMan-qPCR). In addition, BestKeeper software was used to validate the expression stability of four genes, RNU44, RNU48, U6 and U6b, regularly used as reference genes (RGs) for studies involving forensic body fluids. The current study suggests that U6 could be used as a proper RG of miRNAs in forensic body fluid identification. The relative expression ratios (R) of miR486, miR888, miR214, miR16 and miR891a can differentiate the target body fluid from other body fluids that were tested in this study. The detection limit of TaqMan-qPCR of the five confirmed miRNA markers was 10pg of total RNA. The effect of time-wise degradation of blood stains and semen stains for 1 month under normal laboratory conditions was tested and did not significantly affect the detection results. Herein, this study proposes five body fluid-specific miRNAs for the forensic identification of venous blood, semen, and menstrual blood, of which miR486, miR888, and miR214 may be used as new markers for body fluid identification. Additional work remains necessary in search for suitable miRNA markers and stable RGs for forensic body fluid identification.

Characteristics of eight X-STR loci for forensic purposes in the Chinese population

X-chromosomal short tandem repeats (ChrX STRs) loci are used for forensic practice in recent years. Considering the unique heredity characteristics of ChrX, recombination and linkage disequilibrium (LD) among ChrX STR loci vary between male and female and different populations as well. However, there is a lack of data for analysis of recombination and linkage disequilibrium on ChrX STR loci in the Chinese population. In this work, a total of 303 unrelated individuals (203 males and 100 females) in the Chinese Han population were analyzed with Mentype Argus X-8 PCR amplification kit (DXS10135-DXS8378, DXS7132-DXS10074, HPRTB-DXS10101, and DXS10134-DXS7423). The recombination and linkage disequilibrium of the eight ChrX STR loci were investigated with HapMap LD plots and software ARLEQUIN 3.1. Allele frequencies of the eight loci and further population forensic genetic parameters were obtained. Our results revealed hotspots for recombination, and there was no obvious evidence for LD among the eight loci in the Chinese population. Our work implied that single locus frequencies rather than haplotype frequencies should be applied for forensic practice in the Chinese population.

Developing a DNA methylation assay for human age prediction in blood and bloodstain

Age prediction of an individual based on biological traces remained in a crime scene is of ultimate importance for criminal investigation. Growing evidence indicates that some CpG sites may have age-related methylation changes and thus may be a promising tool for age prediction. In this study, we utilized the pyrosequencing approach to screen age-related CpG (AR-CpG) sites for age prediction. Five AR-CpGs were identified as age-related markers from thirty-eight candidates, among which three CpG sites, ITGA2B_1, NPTX2_3, and NPTX2_4 were never reported in previous studies. We fit a linear regression model for age prediction based on methylation assay for 89 blood samples from donors aged 9-75 years old. The model included four AR-CpG markers in three gene fragments ASPA, ITGA2B and NPTX2 and enabled the age prediction with R(2)=0.819. The mean absolute deviation (MAD) from chronological age of the model was 7.870. We validated the linear regression model with a validation set of 40 blood samples, and the prediction MAD was 7.986. There was no statistically significant difference in age prediction between 20 pairs of blood samples and bloodstains. Six pairs of fresh and old bloodstains were analyzed using our assay. The obtained results showed the assay still performed an effective prediction on bloodstains after four-month storage in room conditions. This study indicates that our DNA methylation assay is a reliable and effective method for age prediction for forensic purposes.

Genetic polymorphism investigation of the Chinese Yi minority using PowerPlex® Y23 STR amplification system

Twenty-three Y-STR loci (DYS576, DYS389I, DYS389 II, DYS448, DYS19, DYS391, DYS481, DYS549, DYS533, DYS438, DYS437, DYS570, DYS635, DYS390, DYS439, DYS392, DYS393, DYS458 DYS456, DYS643, Y-GATA-H4, and DYS385a/b) included in the next-generation PowerPlex® Y23 System were first investigated in 311 unrelated, healthy male individuals from the Yi minority population residing in the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, China. A total of 179 alleles and 297 haplotypes were discovered in the Yi group. In total, 285 haplotypes among them were unique, and the remaining 12 haplotypes were observed in two or three individuals. Haplotype discrimination capacity and haplotype diversity were 0.9550 and 0.9989, respectively. Genetic diversity ranged from 0.4550 (DYS437) to 0.9556 (DYS385a/b). Population comparisons between the Yi minority group and 10 Asian meta-populations comprising 58 individual populations were performed. Both multidimensional scaling plots and phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that the genetic structure of the Chinese Yi ethnicity was extremely different compared to Taiwan indigenous inhabitants among 10 Asian meta-populations. Additionally, the genetic structure resemblance of the Yi group was obtained from a geographically close population (Xuanwei Han) or similar language family groups (Thai populations). Besides, our study has demonstrated that the PowerPlex® Y23 System has high polymorphism in a Chinese Yi ethnic population and high discriminatory power for forensic purposes. Population data of the 23 Y-STR obtained from a Yi ethnic population has enriched the Chinese ethnic genetic information.

Forensic characteristics and phylogenetic analyses of the Chinese Yi population via 19 X-chromosomal STR loci

The demographic characteristics and genetic polymorphism data of 56 Chinese nationalities or 31 administrative divisions in Chinese mainland have repeatedly been the genetic research hotspots. While most genetic studies focused on some particular Chinese populations based on autosomal or Y-chromosomal genetic markers, the forensic characteristics and phylogenetic analyses of the seventh largest Chinese population (Yi ethnicity) on the X-chromosomal genetic markers are scarce. Here, allele frequencies and forensic statistical parameters for 19 X-chromosomal short tandem repeat loci (DXS7424-DXS101, DXS6789-DXS6809, DXS7423-DXS10134, DXS10103-HPRTB-DXS10101, DXS10159-DXS10162-DXS10164, DXS10148-DXS10135-DXS8378, and DXS7132-DXS10079-DXS10074-DXS10075) of 331 Chinese Yi individuals were obtained. All 19 X-chromosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci in females were consistent with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium test. A total of 214 alleles were identified with the corresponding allele frequencies spanned from 0.0019 to 0.6106. The combined PE, PDF, and PDM were 0.9999999214, 0.9999999999999999999993, and 0.9999999999998, respectively. The high combined MECKrüger, MECKishida, MECDesmarais, and MECDesmarais Duo were achieved as 0.9999999617638, 0.9999999999971, 0.9999999999971, and 0.9999999931538, respectively. The findings suggested that the panel of 19 X-STR loci is highly polymorphic and informative in the Yi ethnic population and can be considered to be a powerful tool in forensic complex kinship identification. Population differentiation analyses among 12 populations indicated that significant differences in genetic structure were observed in between the Yi ethnicity and the Chinese Uyghur as well as Kazakh, and genetic homogeneity existed in similar ethno-origin or geographic origin populations.

Exploring of tri-allelic SNPs using pyrosequencing and the SNaPshot methods for forensic application.

Tri‐allelic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are potential forensic markers for DNA analysis. Currently, only a limited number of tri‐allelic SNP loci have been proved to be fit for forensic application. In this study, we aimed to develop an effective method to select and genotype tri‐allelic SNPs based on both Pyrosequencing (PSQ) and the SNaPshot methods. 50 candidate SNPs were chosen from NCBIs dbSNP database and were analyzed by PSQ. The results revealed that 20 SNPs were tri‐allelic and were located on 16 autosomal chromosomes. Then 20 SNP loci were combined in one multiplex polymerase chain reaction to develop a single base extension (SBE)‐based SNP‐typing assay. A total of 100 unrelated Chinese individuals were genotyped by this assay and allele frequencies were estimated. The total discrimination power was 0.999999999975 and the cumulative probability of exclusion was 0.9937. These data demonstrated that the strategy is a rapid and effective method for seeking and typing tri‐allelic SNPs. In addition, the 20 tri‐allelic SNP multiplex typing assay may be used to supplement paternity testing and human identification.

Exploring of new Y-chromosome SNP loci using Pyrosequencing and the SNaPshot methods

The single nucleotide polymorphisms on the Y chromosome (Y-SNP) have been considered to be important in forensic casework. However, Y-SNP loci were mostly population specific and lacked biallelic polymorphisms in the Asian population. In this study, we developed a strategy for seeking and genotyping new Y-SNP markers based on both Pyrosequencing and the SNaPshot methods. As results, 34 new biallelic markers were observed to be polymorphic in the Chinese Han population by estimation of allele frequencies of 103 candidate’s Y-SNP loci in DNA pools using Pyrosequencing technology. Then, a multiplex system with 20 Y-SNP loci was genotyped using the SNaPshot™ multiplex kit. Twenty Y-SNP loci defined 56 different haplotypes, and the haplotype diversity was estimated to be 0.9539. Our result demonstrated that the strategy could be used as an efficient tool to search and genotype biallelic markers from a large amount of candidate loci. In addition, 20 Y-SNP loci constructed a multiplex system, which could provide supplementary information for forensic identification.

Phylogenetic analysis among 27 Chinese populations and genetic polymorphisms of 20 autosomal STR loci in a Chinese Uyghur ethnic minority group

Abstract Allele frequency data and forensic statistical parameters were determined for 20 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci of the PowerPlex 21 System in 214 unrelated healthy individuals of a Uyghur ethnic minority group living in Xinjiang province, northwest China. A total of 232 alleles were observed with the corresponding allele frequencies ranging from 0.0023 to 0.5304. All loci were consistent with Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) after the Bonferroni correction (p > 0.0025). The combined probability of exclusion, power of discrimination, probability of matching value were 0.999999999, 0.9999999999999999999999995, and 4.78246 × 10−25, respectively. Our results revealed that the 20 STRs were highly polymorphic and informative, and could be suitable for forensic application, especially parentage test and personal identification. The further population comparison between the Uyghur and other 26 reference populations revealed that the loci of D13S317, TH01 and D6S1043 showed high ethnical specificity. Phylogenetic analysis based on 19 shared loci demonstrated that the Uyghur had a close genetic relationship with the Kazakh, but a distinct genetic distance with other Chinese populations from different ethnicity and regions.

Genetic diversity of 21 autosomal STR loci in the Han population from Sichuan province, Southwest China

Exploration of the ethnic origin and genetic differentiation of 56 Chinese officially recognized nationalities populations played a fundamental role in the research field of population genetics, forensic science, linguistics, anthropology, and archaeology. In the present study, population data of 21 autosomal STR loci (CSF1PO, D10S1248, D12S391, D13S317, D16S539, D18S51, D19S433, D21S11, D2S1338, D2S441, D3S1358, D5S818, D6S1043, D7S820, D8S1179, FGA, Penta D, Penta E, TH01, TPOX, and vWA) included in the AGCU EX22 kit in 2793 Southwest Han Chinese individuals was obtained and population genetic relationships among 28 Chinese populations were investigated. Our study indicated that the twenty-one autosomal STRs are highly polymorphic in the Sichuan Han population and can be used as a powerful tool in the routine forensic usage. MDS and phylogenetic analysis suggested that the Sichuan Han population kept a close genetic relationship with the southwest populations.

Mutational analysis of 33 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci in southwest Chinese Han population based on trio parentage testing

Mutation rates and 95% CI of 33 short tandem repeat (STR) loci (D1S2142, D2S1338, D2S441, D3S1358, D3S1754, D5S818, D6S1043, D7S3048, D7S820, D8S1132, D8S1179, D10S1248, D11S2368, D12S391, D13S1492, D13S317, D13S325, D14S306, D15S659, D16S539, D18S1364, D18S51, D19S433, D20S161, D21S11, D22GATA198B05, CSF1PO, FGA, Penta D, Penta E, TH01, TPOX, and vWA) were investigated through more than 424,000 parent-child meiotic transfers obtained from 10636 trios parentage testing cases in southwest Chinese Han population. Overall, 297, including 292 single-step, 4 double-step and 1 triple-step mutation events were observed. The average mutation rate was 0.70×10(-3). Most of the locus-specific mutation rates (varied from 0.20×10(-3) to 1.96×10(-3)) were lower than the other datasets (p<0.05). Mutations of 7 loci are reported for the first time. Mutation rates varied with population from different ethnicities and geographical regions. There was no significant difference between mutation expansion and contraction (∼1.04:1). Paternal origin mutations occurred more frequently than maternal origin ones (∼5.02:1). In addition, mutation rates indicated positive correlation with the expected heterozygosity (He) and geometric mean of longest run of perfect repeats (LRPR), respectively. Short alleles showed a trend toward mutation gain while long alleles trended toward mutation loss. A credible forensic dataset for locus-specific mutation rates of 33 loci has been established based upon strict inclusion criteria of large-sized parents/child-trio cases.