-2006 GEP-ISFG collaborative exercise on mtDNA:reflections about interpretation, artefacts, and DNA mixtures

PRIETO, ALONSO,ALVES,CRESPILLO,PICORNELL,BREHM,JRAMÍREZ,WHITTLES,CARDOSO, CICARELLI,COMAS,CORACH,DOUTREMEPUICH,FILIPPINI,GARCIA,GONZALEZ,HEINRICHS,LORENTE, MECHOSO,NAVARRO,PAGANO,PESTANO,PUENTE,RAIMONDI,QUESADA,PINHEIRO,ARBELETCHEVIDALRIOJA,VULLO, SALA

Forensic Science International:Genetics

Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Año: 2008 vol. 2 p. 126 - 133

1872-4973

AbstractWe report the results of the seventh edition of the GEP-ISFG mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) collaborative exercise. The samples submitted to theparticipant laboratories were blood stains from a maternity case and simulated forensic samples, including a case of mixture. The success rate forthe blood stains was moderate (
77%); even though four inexperienced laboratories concentrated about one-third of the total errors. A similarsuccess was obtained for the analysis of mixed samples (78.8% for a hair–saliva mixture and 69.2% for a saliva–saliva mixture). Two laboratoriesalso dissected the haplotypes contributing to the saliva–saliva mixture. Most of the errors were due to reading problems and misinterpretation ofelectropherograms, demonstrating once more that the lack of a solid devised experimental approach is the main cause of error in mtDNA testing.# 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.Keywords: mtDNA; Mixture; Recommendations: Phylogeny; GEP-ISFG; Collaborative exercise