Katherine A. Micka¹, Steve Creacy², Cynthia J. Sprecher¹, Robert A. Bever², and James W. Schumm^1
1Promega Corporation, Madison, WI
²Genetic Design, Inc., Greensboro, NC

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We describe the powerful, sensitive, high throughput, nonisotopic methods for DNA analyses based upon the amplification of polymorphic short tandem repeat (STR) loci. We have developed three systems for silver stain detection without instrumentation, (CTT) CSF1PO, TPOX, TH01, (FFv) F13A01, FESFPS, vWA, and (SilverSTR^tm III) D16S539, D7S820, D13S317. In addition, we have developed three fluorescein-labeled quadriplex systems: (CTTv) CSF1PO, TPOX, TH01, vWA, (FFFL) F13A01, FESFPS, F13B, LPL, and (GammaSTR^tm) D16S539, D7S820, D13S317, D5S818. A two-color, eight locus system, the GenePrint^tm PowerPlex^tm System, has also been developed. The fluorescent and silver stain systems have been designed to contain the same loci whenever possible (see chart below).

Analysis of over 200 individuals in each of three racial/ethnic groups indicates that using either the three silver multiplexes or the PowerPlex^tm System alone, the Matching Probability exceeds 1 in 100,000,000 in each population. Likewise, the Typical Paternity Index for these same combinations exceeds 300 in each population. The combination of the PowerPlex^tm System and FFFL generate numbers greater than 1 in 100,000,000,000 and 5,000, for Matching Probability and Typical Paternity Index, respectively, regardless of the population tested.

In sum, while providing a rapid and accurate assay requiring very little DNA template, these combinations of multiplexes, or the individual PowerPlex^tm System, provide the statistical power required for forensic and paternity applications.