Population genetic analyses of the AmpFlSTR® NGM™ in Brazil.

Population data of 15 short tandem repeat loci of the AmpFlSTR® next generation multiplex (NGM)™ were obtained from a sample of 835 individuals. The loci are the ten short tandem repeats (STRs) in the SGM Plus® Kit plus the EDNAP- and ENSFI-recommended STRs D10S1248, D22S1045, D2S441, D1S1656, and D12S391. Allele frequency and other forensically relevant statistics data were generated for the NGM loci into five current country macroregions of Brazil (North, Northeast, Central West, Southeast, and South). All the analyzed loci meet Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium expectations and no linkage disequilibrium in all pairs of loci. The observed and expected heterozygosity, power of discrimination, polymorphic information content, and the other population-genetic indices were calculated. The overall power of discrimination was greater than 0.99999999999999999996 and the combined power of exclusion was greater than 0.9999998 in all Brazilian populations. Comparative analysis between populations from different Brazilian macroregions as well as between Brazil and Caucasian, African Americans, and Hispanic US populations are presented.

Simplified buccal DNA extraction with FTA Elute Cards.

DNA isolation is the initial step of most genetic studies, and ideally it should use a reliable and non-invasive method. Buccal samples are adequate for such purposes, being painless, easy to collect and a very reliable DNA source. FTA Elute Cards are relatively new on the market and are designed for rapid blood DNA extraction, in which DNA is solubilized in water, instead of attached to the paper matrix. In this study, we sought to test if FTA Elute Cards are suitable for buccal DNA extraction. Furthermore, several time and temperature conditions were analyzed in order to determine the best concentration/time ratio. Twenty-five different conditions were tested in quadruplicate and extracted DNA was quantified by real-time PCR.