Development of Race-Specific DNA Markers and Their Application to Forensic Medicine

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The purposes of this study were ; to identify and develop markers specific to particular human races at the level of DNA : to carry out genetic analysis of populations using these markers : and to assess the usefulness of these markers in forensic medicine. In this study, we concentrated on the use of the short tandem repeats (STR) which are highly polymorphic and which can be detected using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) , a technique particularly useful in examining the very small amounts of sample that are available in forensic medicine. First, polymorphic STR were identified by DNA cloning and a search of a DNA database (Gen Bank). DNA cloning yielded 3 STR containing clones (TG dinucleotide repeats). However, no inter-individual variation was seen in the number of repeats. A search of a DNA database(Gen Bank)allowed us to identify a further 8 STR.For those areas of the genome for which data concerning the incidence of STR polymorphism among the Japanese people was available, we compared the incidence of polymorphic alleles among different races. The STR polymorphic allele incidence tended to show characteristic differences among different races. The pattern of the distribution of allele incidence in individual races could be divided into four types. At present, it is not possible to directly use STR polymorphisms as marker of race. It seems desirable to accumulate more basic data about STR polymorphisms, by increasing the number of genomic regions, races and populations studied. On the basis of such data, we may establish a method for applying this marker to forensic medicine.