Mitochondria and Forensic Medicine

The most common type of DNA profiling in forensic notes differences in the size of specific nuclear DNA regions known as short terminal repeats (STRs).

Analysis of mtDNA is being used in forensic medicine for human identification especially in those cases in which nuclear DNA is highly degraded or nonexistent. Forensic analysis to determine the distinction between individuals is primarily based on the considerable sequence variation found in the hypervariable regions located in the noncoding region of mtDNA comprising the D-loop.

In recent studies aiming at the development of a method suited to identify victims at mass disaster sites, such as Ground Zero in New York, scientists of the University of Denver could, however, demonstrate that identification of victims can be achieved rapidly, reliably and at low costs by the DHPLC/WAVE-based analysis of DNA-melting profiles. Further information about forensic applications can be found in:

LaBerge GS, Shelton RJ, Danielson PB. (2003); Forensic utility of mitochondrial DNA analysis based on denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography; Croat. Med. J. 44, 281-288. Abstract Library Entry