Genetic variations at four tetrameric tandem repeat loci in Korean population.

Allele and genotype frequencies for four tetrameric short tandem repeat (STR) loci, HumFES/FPS, HumFOLP23, HumGABRB15, and HumCYAR04, have been determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and subsequent polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis from approximately 200 genetically unrelated Koreans. This method allows a single base pair resolution and rapid typing with silver staining. The allele and genotype distributions satisfy Hardy-Weinberg expectation. Also, these STR loci have proven to be useful for forensic analyses and paternity tests in which the variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) loci have some limitations.