Use of DNA Technology in Forensic Dentistry
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orensi f F c R o e l s a e n r a r u c Shambulingappa et al., J Forensic Res 2012, 3:7 o h J Journal of Forensic Research DOI: 10.4172/2157-7145.1000155 ISSN: 2157-7145 Review Article Open Access Use of DNA Technology in Forensic Dentistry Shambulingappa P, Soheyl S, Rajesh Gupta*, Simranpreet Kaur, Amit Aggarwal, Ravinder Singh and Deepak Gupta Department of oral medicine and radiology, M.M. College of Dental Sciences and Research, Mullana, Ambala, Haryana, India Abstract The discovery of DNA plays vital role in Human identification is one of the major fields of study and research in forensic science. This discovery was the basis for the development of techniques that allow characterizing each person’s individuality based on the DNA sequence. Individual identification of ancient human remains the most fundamental requisites for studies of paleo-population genetics, including kinship among ancient people, intra- and inter population structures in ancient times, and the origin of human populations. However, knowledge of these subjects has been based mainly on circumstantial archaeological evidence for kinship and intra population structure and on genetic studies of modern human populations. Tooth and several biological materials such as bone tissue, hair bulb, saliva, blood and other body tissues may be employed for isolation of DNA and accomplishment of laboratory tests for human identification. Here we describe individual identification of ancient humans by using short-nucleotide tandem repeats and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) extracted from a tooth as genetic markers. The application of this approach to kinship analysis shows clearly the presence or absence of kinship among the ancient remains examined. Keywords: Forensic science; Human tooth; mtDNA; Kinship makes an overview of the evolution of this technology in the last years, highlighting the importance of molecular biology in cases of forensic Introduction investigation. Forensic Dentistry is the specialty with the goal of investigating Literature Review psychological, physical, chemical and biological phenomena that can reach human beings ( alive, dead or body fragments), comprehending Background aspects of human identification; criminal, civil, labor and administrative Until the 1980’s, the science of identification of criminal cases was forensic investigation; forensic tanatology; legal documents; forensic based only on serological analyses of protein polymorphism, blood traumatology; image (x-ray, tomography) examinations; saliva analysis; groups and some genetic markers. Forensic examination of biological and other aspects involving a multidisciplinary team [1]. samples started in the beginning of the twentieth century by application Human identification is one of the major fields of study and of the ABO blood group system in evidences related to crimes or research in forensic science because it deals with the human body and human identification. The proofs of individual identification by use of aims at establishing human identity. The revolution caused in 1953 blood group testing gained legal value in the German courts in 1920, by Watson and Crick [2], who discovered the double-helix structure being legally accepted in the United States only in 1935. In Brazil, these of DNA, which is responsible for the genetic inheritance of human exams were given legal value with the first paternity investigation in beings, led to important changes in nearly all fields of science. This 1948. These systems have been replaced in most centers and are rarely discovery was the basis for the development of techniques that allow employed in present days [5]. characterizing each person’s individuality based on the DNA sequence. Another important phase in the development of forensic sciences Three decades later, Jeffreys et al. [3], created radioactive molecular directed at human identification started with the publication of a study probes that could recognize highly variable regions of DNA and thus by Jeffreys et al. [3], who investigated radioactive molecular probes determine the specific patterns of each individual, which were named that could recognize certain highly sensitive regions of DNA (mini DNA fingerprints. The currently performed DNA profile tests are satellites in human genome) that produced a type of DNA “fingerprint”. totally reliable, being accepted as legal proofs in courts, such as for Molecular typing of the genetic material was officially employed investigation of paternity and human identification [4]. for the first time in England by the same author for resolution of an Several biological materials may be employed for isolation of DNA immigration problem. and accomplishment of laboratory tests for human identification, The first polymorphic locus in the human genome was discovered including bone tissue, hair bulb, biopsy sample, saliva, blood and other body tissues. It is possible to obtain DNA from virtually all human body tissues, only with variations in the quantity and quality *Corresponding author: Rajesh gupta, Department of oral medicine and of the DNA extracted from each tissue. The established importance radiology, M.M College of Dental Sciences and Research, Mullana, Ambala, of Forensic Dentistry for human identification, mainly when there is Haryana, India, 133203, Tel: +91-9034808508; E-mail: [email protected] little remaining material to perform such identification (e.g. in fires, Received April 12, 2012; Accepted June 12, 2012; Published June 14, 2012 explosions, decomposing bodies), has led dentists working with Citation: Shambulingappa P, Soheyl S, Rajesh G, Kaur S, Aggarwal A, et al. forensic investigation to become more familiar with the new molecular (2012) Use of DNA Technology in Forensic Dentistry. J Forensic Res 3:155. biology technologies. doi:10.4172/2157-7145.1000155 Therefore, this article presents a literature review referring to the Copyright: © 2012 Shambulingappa P, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which recent Brazilian works and some international studies on Forensic permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided Dentistry that used DNA analysis for human identification, and the original author and source are credited. J Forensic Res ISSN: 2157-7145 JFR, an open access journal Volume 3 • Issue 7 • 1000155 Citation: Shambulingappa P, Soheyl S, Rajesh G, Kaur S, Aggarwal A, et al. (2012) Use of DNA Technology in Forensic Dentistry. J Forensic Res 3:155. doi:10.4172/2157-7145.1000155 Page 2 of 5 by Wyman and White [6], using a DNA probe In this way, more than forensic dentistry, DNA profiling and fingerprinting. Even though, 99% 15 different sizes could be observed in a small sample of subjects. of the bodies were identified using dental records or fingerprints and These repeated sequences are spread throughout the human genome only 1% of forensic identification was made by DNA profiling [14,15]. and present sufficient variety to be used in human identification The main exogenous factors that may limit the retrieval of tests. These hypervariable loci were constituted by tandem repeat information from body remnants and restrict the human identification of oligonucleotides sequences (from 2 to 80 base pairs). Depending procedure are the elements present or associated with fire, such as on their size, these loci were nominated as VNTR (variable number flames, heat and explosions [16,17]. In this sense, the teeth play an of tandem repeat) or minisatellites, 9 to 80 bp, and STR (short important role in identification and criminology, due to the high tandem repeats) or microsatellites, 2 to 5 bp [7]. Initially, the forensic uniqueness of dental characteristics in addition to the relatively high community used VNTR testing for body identification and paternity degree of physical and chemical resistance of the dental structure [15]. tests. However, as this method requires a large amount of material and has low quality results, several cases could not be solved, especially Due to their capacity of enduring environmental changes, the teeth when only little biological material samples were collected in a represent an excellent source of DNA because this biological material crime scene investigation. The introduction of the polymerase chain may provide the necessary relation for identification of an individual in reaction (PCR) technique, which makes possible the amplification of case of failure of conventional methods for dental identification [18]. small DNA samples, widened the scopes in Forensic Genetics [8]. In addition, newer DNA tools, including mitochondrial DNA and SNP Genomic and mitochondrial DNA in forensic dentistry (single nucleotide polymorphism replacements, insertions or deletions The genomic DNA is found in the nucleus of each cell in the human that occur at single positions in the human genome), might be used body and represents a DNA source for most forensic applications. when STR typing fails to yield a result or when only a partial profile is The teeth are an excellent source of genomic DNA because PCR obtained due to the size and conditions of the sample [9]. Poor quality analysis allow comparing the collected postmortem samples to known DNA can be found, for example, in mass disaster, such as the World antemortem samples or parental DNA [18,19]. Mitochondrial DNA is Trade Center attacks, airplane crashes, tsunamis and decomposing another type of material that can be used for body identification. Its