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The Power of PCR Based Technique in Forensic Casework

A. Al-Khayat and F. Al-Shamali
Dubai Police, Crime Laboratory, CID, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The polymorphism of the human genome is to date the most reliable method of personal identification from biological samples. PCR-based technique have distinct advantages over the traditional RFLP technique due to their ability of typing samples with little or partially degraded DNA.

Currently at Dubai Police Crime Lab, nine genetic loci (HLADQAI, LDLR, GYPA, HBGG, D7S8, GC, D1S80, APOB and PAH) amenable to PCR are routinely used in casework. Four STRs are under evaluation.

In our experience, PCR as the only method of DNA analysis has shown great advantages in many casework examples where otherwise it would have been impossible to make use of the available biological evidence.

In this abstract, casework examples will be presented to demonstrate the power of PCR-technique in the following:

  1. Obtaining extensive information from a minute sample;
  2. Obtaining high discrimination power especially when more than one loci are combined;
  3. High exclusion power obtained especially with rare types;
  4. Exclusionary power of PCR-based DNA typing method in paternity testing.

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