Sex determination of bloodstains by the use of a ribonucleic acid (RNA) probe.

An asymmetric ribonucleic acid (RNA) probe, which represents a Y-chromosome specific nucleotide sequence, was applied to the sex origin of bloodstains by using a nonisotopic Southern hybridization method. The RNA probe was in vitro transcribed from the recombinant of the Y-chromosome specific deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequence and transcription-vector Bluescript SK M13+. The use of this RNA probe can lower the detection limit of the nonisotopic DNA analyzing method to 1/8 of that reached by our previously reported method in which a DNA probe was used.