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Sizing short tandem repeat alleles in capillary array gel electrophoresis instruments
Author(s) -
Gill Peter,
Koumi Peter,
Allen Heather
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
electrophoresis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.666
H-Index - 158
eISSN - 1522-2683
pISSN - 0173-0835
DOI - 10.1002/1522-2683(200108)22:13<2670::aid-elps2670>3.0.co;2-1
Subject(s) - str analysis , allele , capillary electrophoresis , multiplex , locus (genetics) , microsatellite , genetics , biology , computational biology , chromatography , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , gene
Abstract A 96‐capillary array gel electrophoresis Applied Biosystems 3700 instrument has been used to analyse AMP Fl STR SGM Plus™ short tandem repeat (STR) loci for forensic applications. This multiplex consists of ten STR loci plus the Amelogenin locus and currently forms the basis of the UK National DNA database that currently holds more than 1 million profiles. Of particular interest is the accuracy of allele designation that is determined by comparison with standard control allelic ladder markers. Some loci have higher standard deviations than others. In particular the high‐molecular‐weight HUMFIBRA alleles have high standard deviations of the order of 0.15 and it is these alleles that are most likely to be misdesignated. However, this risk is minimised by the analysis of at least five different allelic ladders across the array to estimate the mean size of each allele. In conjunction with this, a series of guidelines that can be programmed into expert systems are used to minimise risks of misdesignation. The efficacy of the procedures utilised are tested by computer simulation and demonstrated to be robust.