Birne Valentina Leonie, Birngruber Christoph G, Vennemann Marielle, Bauer Hannah, Verhoff Marcel A, Quezada Esparza Gustavo, Holz Franziska, Zehner Richard
Department of Biosciences, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Forensic Sci Int. 2024 Dec;365:112254. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112254. Epub 2024 Oct 19.
For disaster victim identification, hundreds of samples of human remains have to be extracted from human bodies rapidly for later DNA analysis, often in situation with high humidity, high temperature and no access to cooling facilities. Genetic typing of these samples may be challenging due to degradation of DNA. Until today, bone and teeth are the preferred biological matrix for genetic identification of decomposed human remains. However, processing these samples is time and cost consuming. To address the challenges associated with workload, finances, and sample preservation in the genetic identification of unknown dead bodies, we tested 44 hand and foot tendons from deceased with advanced post mortem changes as alternative DNA material. In addition, we examined commercially available table salt as potential preservation method with 10 tendons over a period of 12 months. The parameters external appearance, DNA quantity and quality have been analysed. Overall, 39 of 44 tendons examined yielded valuable DNA profiles with at least ten autosomal STR loci. Storage in table salt not only increased DNA yield but also resulted in high quality STR profiles of the preserved tendons throughout the study period of 12 months compared to storage without salt. According to the results of this study, we recommend hand and foot tendons as alternative DNA material from bodies with advanced post mortem changes. We particularly recommend commercially available table salt as a storage medium for the preservation of DNA samples. Under field conditions without cooling facilities and the need to store samples prior to DNA analysis table salt is a good storage medium: it preserves DNA and is easily available.
在灾难遇难者身份识别中，通常需要在高湿度、高温且无法使用冷却设施的情况下，从人体遗骸中快速提取数百份样本用于后续的DNA分析。由于DNA降解，对这些样本进行基因分型可能具有挑战性。直到如今，骨骼和牙齿仍是分解后的人体遗骸基因识别的首选生物基质。然而，处理这些样本既耗时又费钱。为应对未知尸体基因识别中与工作量、资金和样本保存相关的挑战，我们测试了44份来自死后变化较大的死者的手足肌腱，将其作为替代DNA材料。此外，我们用10份肌腱在12个月的时间里检验了市售食盐作为潜在保存方法的效果。分析了外观、DNA数量和质量等参数。总体而言，所检测的44份肌腱中有39份产生了至少包含10个常染色体STR位点的有价值的DNA图谱。与无盐保存相比，在12个月的研究期内，用食盐保存不仅提高了DNA产量，还使保存的肌腱产生了高质量的STR图谱。根据本研究结果，我们推荐将手足肌腱作为死后变化较大尸体的替代DNA材料。我们特别推荐市售食盐作为保存DNA样本的储存介质。在没有冷却设施且需要在进行DNA分析前储存样本的野外条件下，食盐是一种很好的储存介质：它能保存DNA且易于获取。
