DNA Profiling & Its Role in Forensic Odontology Dr. Shoborose Tantray1, Dr. Fahad Wasey 2, Dr. Seema Sharma3 Senior Lecturer1, Practitioner2, Professor & Head3, Department of Oral Maxillofacial Pathology & Microbiology1,3, Department of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics2,Institute of Eminence Healthcare Chirag Delhi1, Santosh Dental College & Hospital2, Ghaziabad Abstract The modern advances in DNA profiling have made DNA evidence more widely accepted in courts. This has transmuted the aspect of forensic odontology. DNA profiling/DNA fingerprinting has moved a long way from the conventional fingerprints. DNA that is responsible for all the cell's activities, yields valuable information both in the healthy and diseased individuals. When other means of identification become impossible following mass calamities or fire explosions, carbonization and dissolution, teeth contain a rich source of DNA as they have a high chemical and physical resistance. The recent advancement in the isolation of DNA and the ways of running a DNA fingerprint are highlighted in this literature review Keywords: DNA isolation, DNA profiling, Forensic odontology, STR Analysis, PCR How to cite this Article: Tantray S, Wasey F, Sharma S.DNA Profiling & Its Role in Forensic Odontology.HTAJOCD.2019 Introduction dentin and cementum. length polymorphism (RFLP) requires immense dentification of disaster victims Principle for DNA Fingerprinting quantities of DNA and requires long waiting involves comparing ante-mortem data The gene that codes for a particular protein time to obtain results.16 Iavailable with their postmortem reports. contributes for only 2–6 % of DNA while the Polymerase Chain Reaction When ante- mortem data are unavailable, remaining 95% are the junk or noncoding DNA. Obtainable DNA is amplified to carry out DNA profiling/ fingerprinting becomes the only This junk DNA may be present as a single copy the analysis using a special enzyme and DNA and reliable method for identification. Dental of spacer DNA or as multiple copies called primers, which are accurate for human pulp contain a rich source of DNA.1 Identifying repetitive DNA. The repetitive sequence exists DNA, and the results remain unaffected even if the deceased is not only important for the as long or STRs. The differences in the mini bacterial DNA is present in the sample. The family but also for the legal requests.2 satellite pattern that is detected by a probe along principle of PCR is the ability of DNA to Main Objectives of DNA Profiling/ with stable inheritance forms the basis for DNA replicate/duplicate itself. When the strands of Finger Printing Include: fingerprinting.13 DNA unwind during duplication, the primer is ?Identifying victims DNA-types employed to amplify specific segments. After ?Associating body parts ?Genomic DNA – Teeth provide a good few hours, DNA is amplified to about 109 times ?Identifying criminals.3 Source of Genomic DNA.[20] They are the original amount and the reaction runs Historic Review within the nucleus of the cell.14 through 30 cycles.17 Amplicons are the products In 1985, Jeffreyset4 al used radioactive ?Mitochondrial DNA – Used when DNA of amplification, which are then detached by probes to identify mini satellites (highly variable sample obtained is insufficient or degraded10 electrophoresis. PCR is used for evaluating regions of DNA) to describe the pattern of the Stages in DNA Extraction VNTR, particularly the frequencies of STR loci. individual. These hyper-variable loci have ?Cell membrane rupture To determine the quantity of male or female tandem repeat of nucleotide succession. As ?Denaturation of proteins using chelating DNA in a mixed sample, as in sexual assault reported to their size, they are named as variable agents and inactivation using proteinases cases, real-time PCR or quantitativen PCR was number of tandem repeats (VNTR) or mini DNA extraction. Most commonly. developed.. satellites which consists 9–80 base pairs or short ?DNA is extracted by organic method Short Tandem Repeat Typing tandem repeats (STRs). This revelation led to (phenol) or by Chelex 100 (Bio Rad It is a commonly and routinely used marker the use of DNA analysis in forensics for L a b o r a t o r i e s , I n c ) , F TA p a p e r in forensics. STRs have a high power of identifying human remains and solving disputed (WhatmanInc, Clifton, NJ) or isopropyl individual discernment because of their high parentage affairs.5 Saiki et al6 introduced alcohol.1 standards of polymorphic informative content. polymerase chain reaction (PCR) which was Methods of Running a DNA Fingerprint The non overlapping size of the alleles from later followed and mechanized by Mullis and DNA profiling or fingerprinting discloses different contributors serves to distinguish Faloona.7 It includes amplification of interested the genetic makeup of a person. Teeth provide a them. Currently, they are detected by fluorescent sequences from very little quantities of DNA remarkable source of DNA as they remain detection methods using capillary or gel accessible. virtually unaffected by environmental assaults. electrophoresis and even by ABI gel-based DNA Schwartz et al 19918 under variable Proper DNA extraction and quantification are sequencers while earlier works on detection of environmental conditions isolated very high needed to perform a successful analysis. DNA involved silver-stained polyacrylamide molecular DNA from dental pulp. Genomic dot The Different Ways of Running A DNA gels. Used in paternity testing as each individual blot hybridization was performed for Fingerprint are as Follows: has some STRs inherited from father and some identifying sex by Pötsch et al 1992.9 In his Restriction fragment length polymorphism from the mother.18 They are hyper-variable method regions that show repetitions of fragments study, he obtained a total genomic DNA from a 2 dental sample, which, ranged between 6 µg and After the evidence is collected from the having 2–7 base pairs. It helps in identifying 50 µg. crime scene, DNA is extracted . A special victims of mass calamities from even old 19 In 1995 Sweet et al10 identified a human enzyme (restriction endonuclease) that acts as remains. To serve as the standard for the remain from DNA that was Isolated from an un- molecular scissors is used , DNA is grind into combined DNA index systems (CODIS), erupted, preserved third molar. Tsuchimochi, et fragments at sites that are not found with in the Federal Bureau of investigation has chosen 13 20 al., 200211 extracted pulpal DNA by incinerating tandem repeat sequence. The chopped definite STR loci which are together known as extracted teeth at temperatures of 100°C, 200°C, fragments have VNTR of varying lengths.15 CODIS markers and the sex identifying 300°C, 400°C and 500°C for 2 min to conduct Gel electrophoresis is done to apart the cut amelogenin marker. A number of commercial PCR analysis on them. No PCR product was fragments based on their size. Southern Blot kits are available that amplify the 13 core loci produced for samples that were incinerated (transferring the fragments to a nitrocellulose and amelogenin. above 400°C whereas samples incinerated for filter) is then performed, and a radioactive probe Analysis of Mitochondrial DNA up to 300°C could be amplified. The DNA was is used to evaluate the DNA. Restriction When the sample cells lack nucleus, DNA is isolated using Chelex 100 chelating resin. fragment length polymorphism detects the extracted from mitochondrion. Silva & Passos In 2003 Malaver and Yunis12 evaluated in repeated sequences by defining a specific in 2002 stated that mtDNA analysis can be used their study that the pulp produced the strongest pattern to the VNTR, which forms the DNA for ancient tissues like bone, hair and teeth, PCR amplification signal when compared to fingerprint of a person. Restriction fragment where analysis of nuclear DNA cannot be Tantray, DNA Profiling & Its Role in Forensic Odontology done.21 High molecular weight mtDNA are used in forensics of the three main kinds of DNA diaeval Individuals from Zvonimirovo Burial Site in obtained from teeth, especially in degraded fingerprints, RFLP, VNTR and STR, the most Northern Croatia? : Investigation of Kinship 11 Relationships by Using Multiplex System Amplification remains. 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