Advertisement
Research Article| Volume 3, ISSUE 4, P242-250, September 2009

Download started.

Ok

Development of STR profiles from firearms and fired cartridge cases

  • Katie M. Horsman-Hall
    Affiliations
    Virginia Department of Forensic Science, 700 N. 5th Street, Richmond, VA 23219, United States
    Search for articles by this author
  • Author Footnotes
    1 Current address: New York Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Department of Forensic Biology, 421 E. 26th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States.
    Yvette Orihuela
    Footnotes
    1 Current address: New York Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Department of Forensic Biology, 421 E. 26th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States.
    Affiliations
    Virginia Commonwealth University, Forensic Science Department, PO Box 843079, Richmond, VA 23284-3079, United States
    Search for articles by this author
  • Author Footnotes
    2 Current address: Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory, 2203 Airport Way S, Suite 250, Seattle, WA 98134, United States.
    Stephanie L. Karczynski
    Footnotes
    2 Current address: Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory, 2203 Airport Way S, Suite 250, Seattle, WA 98134, United States.
    Affiliations
    Virginia Commonwealth University, Forensic Science Department, PO Box 843079, Richmond, VA 23284-3079, United States
    Search for articles by this author
  • Ann L. Davis
    Affiliations
    Virginia Department of Forensic Science, 700 N. 5th Street, Richmond, VA 23219, United States
    Search for articles by this author
  • Jeffrey D. Ban
    Affiliations
    Virginia Department of Forensic Science, 700 N. 5th Street, Richmond, VA 23219, United States
    Search for articles by this author
  • Susan A. Greenspoon
    Correspondence
    Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 804 786 4707x20456; fax: +1 804 786 9985.
    Affiliations
    Virginia Department of Forensic Science, 700 N. 5th Street, Richmond, VA 23219, United States
    Search for articles by this author
  • Author Footnotes
    1 Current address: New York Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Department of Forensic Biology, 421 E. 26th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States.
    2 Current address: Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory, 2203 Airport Way S, Suite 250, Seattle, WA 98134, United States.
Published:April 08, 2009DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsigen.2009.02.007
Development of STR profiles from firearms and fired cartridge cases
Previous ArticleTri-allelic SNP markers enable analysis of mixed and degraded DNA samples
Next ArticleInferring ethnicity using 15 autosomal STR loci���Comparisons among populations of similar and distinctly different physical traits

      Abstract

      Fired cartridge cases are a common type of evidence found at crime scenes. However, due to the high chamber temperatures and touch nature of this evidence, DNA testing is not commonly sought because it is believed DNA is only present in low levels, whether it is due to initial low levels of DNA and/or DNA degradation from the heat or inhibition of the PCR reaction. Moreover, very few laboratories report STR typing success with fired cases. This study focused on obtaining STR profiles from fired cartridge cases using the AmpFℓSTR® MiniFiler™ kit, which is designed to amplify DNA from low level, inhibited, and degraded samples. Comparisons to other STR amplification kits were also conducted. In attempt to simulate casework, random individuals loaded cartridges into a firearm. DNA was recovered from the fired cartridge cases using the double swab technique and extracted using an automated large volume DNA IQ™ method. Initially, testing focused on known shedders handling cartridges for 30 s prior to firing. A significantly greater number of alleles was obtained following amplification with the MiniFiler™ kit versus the PowerPlex® 16 BIO kit. No alleles were observed using the Identifiler® kit. In an attempt to better simulate casework, a random selection of laboratory personnel handled shotshells for as long as needed to load and fire the weapon. In this mock sample study, the MiniFiler™ kit successfully amplified an average of 22% of expected alleles from DNA recovered from shotshell cases versus the PowerPlex® 16 BIO kit where an average of 7% of alleles were observed. However, the total number of alleles obtained from the two kits was not significantly different. The quality of the DNA obtained from fired cases was studied with evidence of inhibition in at least 11% of shotshell case samples. After swabbing the head and the hull of three shotshell cases separately, a significantly greater number of alleles was obtained from the hull as opposed to the head of the fired shotshell case. In addition, after firing, various internal firearm surfaces were swabbed, including the chamber of barrel, ejection port, and breechface, in an attempt to obtain amplifiable DNA. DNA was obtained from the chamber of the barrel and was amplifiable using the MiniFiler™ kit, although mixtures were obtained with extensive drop-in and drop-out making this analysis unlikely to aid an investigation.

      Keywords

      To read this article in full you will need to make a payment

      Purchase one-time access:

      Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online access
      One-time access price info
      • For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
      • For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'

      Subscribe:

      Subscribe to Forensic Science International: Genetics
      Already a print subscriber? Claim online access
      Already an online subscriber? Sign in
      Register: Create an account
      Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect

      References

        • Saferstein R.
        Forensic Science Handbook, vol. II.
        Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ1988
        View in Article
        • Van Oorschot R.A.H.
        • Jones M.K.
        DNA fingerprints from fingerprints.
        Nature. 1997; 387: 767
        View in Article
        • Kisilevsky A.E.
        • Wickenheiser R.A.
        DNA PCR profiling of skin cells transferred through handling.
        in: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Canadian Society of Forensic Science, Edmonton, Alberta, November 17–201999
        View in Article

      4. A. Serven, Personal communication, by phone June 2007, email, May 2008.

        View in Article
        • Zhang L.
        • Wu Q.
        Single Gene retrieval from thermally degraded DNA.
        J. Biosci. 2005; 30: 599-604
        View in Article
        • Smith P.J.
        • Ballantyne J.
        Simplified low-copy number DNA analysis by post-PCR purification.
        J. Forensic Sci. 2007; 52: 820-829
        View in Article
        • Esslinger K.J.
        • Siegel J.A.
        • Spillane H.
        • Stallworth S.
        Using STR analysis to detect human DNA from exploded pipe bomb devices.
        J. Forensic Sci. 2004; 49: 481-484
        View in Article
        • Roberts K.A.
        • Sewell K.L.
        • Johnson D.J.
        • Matthies L.K.
        STR analysis of human DNA from exploded bomb fragments and spent cartridge casings.
        in: Proceedings of the 17th International Symposium on Human Identification. 2006
        View in Article

      9. T. Spear, J. Clark, M. Giusto, N. Khoshkebari, M. Murphy, J. Rush, Fingerprints & DNA on cartridges & cartridge cases: How likely? California Dept. of Justice, Bureau of Forensic Services and California Criminalistics Institute, Accessed on 22 October 2008, http://www.cci.ca.gov/Reference/LpDNACtg.ppt.

        View in Article
        • Polakowski S.M.
        Analysis of fired casings for the presence of DNA.
        Midwest Association of Forensic Science (MAFS) Newslett. Spring. 2004;
        View in Article
        • Polley D.
        • Mickiewicz P.
        • Vaughn M.
        • Miller T.
        • Warburton R.
        • Komonski D.
        • et al.
        An investigation of DNA recovery from firearms and cartridge cases.
        Can. Soc. Forensic Sci. J. 2006; 39: 217-228
        View in Article
        • Krenke B.E.
        • Tereba A.
        • Anderson S.J.
        • Buel E.
        • Culhane S.
        • Finis C.J.
        • et al.
        Validation of a 16-locus fluorescent multiplex system.
        J. Forensic Sci. 2002; 47: 773-785
        View in Article
        • Opel K.L.
        • Chung D.T.
        • Drabek J.
        • Tatarek N.E.
        • Jantz L.M.
        • McCord B.R.
        The application of miniplex primer sets in the analysis of degraded DNA from human skeletal remains.
        J. Forensic Sci. 2006; 51: 351-356
        View in Article
        • Coble M.D.
        • Butler J.M.
        Characterization of new miniSTR loci to aid in analysis of degraded DNA.
        J. Forensic Sci. 2005; 50: 43-53
        View in Article
        • Mulero J.J.
        • Chang C.W.
        • Lagacé R.E.
        • Wang D.Y.
        • Bas J.L.
        • McMahon T.P.
        • Hennessy L.K.
        Development and validation of the AmpFℓSTR® MiniFiler™ PCR amplification kit: a miniSTR multiplex for the analysis of degraded and/or PCR inhibited DNA.
        J. Forensic Sci. 2008; 53: 838-852
        View in Article
        • Applied
        • Biosystems
        AmpFℓSTR® MiniFiler™ PCR Amplification Kit User's Manual.
        Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA2006
        View in Article
        • Hill C.R.
        • Kline M.C.
        • Mulero J.J.
        • Lagacé R.E.
        • Chang C.W.
        • Hennessey L.K.
        • Butler J.M.
        Concordance study between the AmpFℓSTR® MiniFiler™ PCR amplification kit and conventional STR typing kits.
        J. Forensic Sci. 2007; 52: 870-873
        View in Article

      18. S. Derus, Personal communication, 2007.

        View in Article
        • Sweet D.
        • Lorente M.
        • Lorente J.A.
        • Valenzuela A.
        • Villanueva E.
        An improved method to recover saliva from human skin: the double swab technique.
        J. Forensic Sci. 1997; 42: 320-322
        View in Article

      20. DNA IQ™ Isolation System for Large Volumes, Virginia Department of Forensic Science Procedures Manual, Issue No. 5, April 2007.

        View in Article

      21. DNA IQ™ Manual Purification Procedure, Virginia Department of Forensic Science Procedures Manual, Issue No. 3, March 2006, Accessed on 29 October 2007, http://www.dfs.virginia.gov/services/forensicBiology/manuals/procedures/03%20-%20III-PP16%20BIO%202003/08%20-%20Chapter%202%20-%20Purification.pdf.

        View in Article

      22. BioMek® 2000 Automation Workstation Procedures Manual, Virginia Department of Forensic Science Procedures Manual, Issue No. 4, August 2005, Accessed on 29 October 2007, http://www.dfs.virginia.gov/services/forensicBiology/manuals/procedures/04%20-%20IV-BIOMEK%202005/06%20-%20Chapter%201-%20Isolation.pdf.

        View in Article

      23. Promega Corporation, DNA IQ™ Technical Bulletin #TB296, April 2006.

        View in Article

      24. Applied Biosystems, AmpFℓSTR® Identifiler™ PCR Amplification Kit User's Manual, Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA, 2006.

        View in Article
        • Greenspoon S.A.
        • Ban J.D.
        • Pablo L.
        • Crouse C.A.
        • Kist F.G.
        • Tomsey C.S.
        • et al.
        Validation and Implementation of the PowerPlex® 16 BIO System STR Multiplex for forensic casework.
        J. Forensic Sci. 2004; 49: 71-80
        View in Article
        • Budowle B.
        • Hobson D.L.
        • Smerick J.B.
        • Smith J.A.L.
        Low copy number—consideration and caution.
        in: Proceedings of the 12th International Symposium on Human Identification. 2001
        View in Article

      Article info

      Publication history

      Published online: April 08, 2009
      Accepted: February 19, 2009
      Received in revised form: February 3, 2009
      Received: October 31, 2008

      Footnotes

      ☆Presented, in part, at the 60th Annual Meeting, American Academy of Forensic Sciences, February 2008, Washington, DC, at the 1st Annual Technological Advances in Human Identification, Hampton, VA, April 8–10, 2008, and in Applied Biosystems Forensic News, February 2008.

      ☆☆Applied Biosystems is gratefully acknowledged for supplying reagents and instrumentation necessary for this research.

      Identification

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsigen.2009.02.007

      Copyright

      © 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

      ScienceDirect

      Access this article on ScienceDirect

      The content on this site is intended for healthcare professionals.


      We use cookies to help provide and enhance our service and tailor content. To update your cookie settings, please visit the Cookie Preference Center for this site.
      Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. except certain content provided by third parties.


      RELX