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Pathology and DNA Analysis of Exhumed Human Remains Three-years Post-mortem

Gayvelline C. Calacal1,*, Jazelyn M. Salvador1, Minerva S. Sagum1,
Raquel D. Fortun2, and Maria Corazon A. De Ungria1

1DNA Analysis Laboratory, Natural Sciences Research Institute, University of the Philippines Diliman, Diliman, Quezon City
2Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, Ermita, Manila

*Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

ABSTRACT

In the past three decades after the discovery of DNA fingerprinting, there has been a remarkable growth in the use of DNA evidence worldwide. This paper highlights the value of using a scientific approach in assisting courts of law in resolving disputed parentage or kinship issues. This report describes the use of pathology in verifying the identity of a cadaver via examination and comparison with ante-mortem information of the deceased. Subsequent DNA testing of the skeletal remains – exhumed three years post-mortem – was used to confirm the identity of the woman using a living sibling as reference, and to evaluate the relationship of the deceased with a person claiming to be her offspring. Genetic comparisons at 15 autosomal Short Tandem Repeat (aSTR) regions and the mitochondrial hypervariable regions I and II (mtDNA HVR I and HVR II) of the deceased and her brother confirmed that they were siblings. Conversely, the DNA test negated the statements of the person claiming to be the child of the deceased.

Keywords: autosomal Short Tandem Repeats (aSTR), exhumed human remains, forensic genetics, maternity analysis, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), sibship analysis

 

INTRODUCTION
DNA typing is the most powerful tool for human identification and for evaluating biological relationships. Depending on the availability of reference and evidentiary samples, Short Tandem Repeat (STR) DNA markers located on autosomes (aSTR), the X (X-STR) and Y (Y-STR) sex chromosomes – as well as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the hypervariable regions (HVR) of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) – are commonly used. In routine evaluation of disputed parentage cases, a child's aSTR DNA profile is compared with those of his/her alleged parent. In cases where a putative mother is deceased and biological samples have undergone environmental challenges, the comparative mtDNA sequences of the child and the alleged mother may be used to complement the data generated from aSTR DNA analysis. Since mtDNA is found in higher copy number per cell than nuclear DNA, it has been an invaluable genetic marker in forensics (Wilson et al. 1995; Holland et al. 1999) and ancient DNA studies (Gill et al. 1994; Nilsson et al. 2010; Kjellström et al. 2012) with samples that are often limited in quantity and are of low quality. Mitochondrial DNA is inherited strictly from the mother, which makes this the marker of choice when identifying persons across a matrilineal line. However, mtDNA analysis is limited to establishing a maternal lineage, but is not conclusive to establish that a woman is the mother of a child. . . . . read more

 

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