A STUDY OF DEGRADED SKELETAL SAMPLES USING FORENSEQ DNA SIGNATURE TM KIT

Recent advances in massively parallel sequencing (MPS) have established it as a promising technology for large-scale genetic sequencing. This study tested the Illumina ForenSeq™ DNA Signature Prep Kit to assess whether MPS provides a more comprehensive evaluation of degraded samples compared to traditional fragment analysis/capillary electrophoresis-based methods. The Illumina® ForenSeq™ DNA Signature MPS Kit incorporates 200 genetic loci. By utilising next-generation sequencing (NGS), analysis time is reduced, and the identification of human remains is enhanced. In this study, we aimed to analyse degraded hard tissue samples using the Illumina® ForenSeq™ DNA Signature MPS Kit. These samples had previously yielded partial profiles with dropout at several loci when using the GlobalFiler™ kit. The MPS kit demonstrated high sensitivity, improving allele recovery for STR loci, and provided valuable information on biogeographic ancestry, identity, and phenotypic traits from a single analysis. The study resulted in the successful amplification and sequencing of 30 degraded bone/teeth samples using the MPS method.