2010•Journal of Forensic SciencesRequires access
Heteroplasmy in Hair: Study of Mitochondrial DNA Third Hypervariable Region in Hair and Blood Samples*†
Greiciane Gaburro Paneto, Larissa V. G. Longo, Joyce Aparecida Martins, Maria Angélica de Camargo, Jeane C. Costa, Aline Carolina Omai de Mello, Bety Chen, Rogério Nogueira de Oliveira, Mário H. Hirata, Regina Maria Barretto Cicarelli
Open publisher page 12 citations
Abstract
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis has proved useful for forensic identification especially in cases where nuclear DNA is not available, such as with hair evidence. Heteroplasmy, the presence of more than one type of mtDNA in one individual, is a common situation often reported in the first and second mtDNA hypervariable regions (HV1/HV2), particularly in hair samples. However, there is no data about heteroplasmy frequency in the third mtDNA hypervariable region (HV3). To investigate possible heteroplasmy hotspots, HV3 from hair and blood samples of 100 individuals were sequenced and compared. No point heteroplasmy was observed, but length heteroplasmy was, both in C-stretch and CA repeat. To observe which CA "alleles" were present in each tissue, PCR products were cloned and re-sequenced. However, no variation among CA alleles was observed. Regarding forensic practice, we conclude that point heteroplasmy in HV3 is not as frequent as in the HV1/HV2.