Concordance Study of Forensic Casework Samples Using the AMPFlSTR Kit, AMPFlSTR Identifiler Kit, AMPFlSTR Profiler Plus Kit and PowerPlex 16 Kit

The PowerPlex 16, AmpFlSTR Profiler Plus and AmpFlSTR COfiler Kits allow for the co-amplification of the amelogenin gender determining marker and the thirteen core CODIS STR loci: D3S1358, FGA, vWA, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, D5S818, D13S317, D7S820, D16S539, THO1, TPOX and CSF1PO. PowerPlex 16 adds the Penta D and Penta E loci and the AmpFlSTR Identifiler addes the D2S1338 and D19S433 loci. Manufactures of these systems have a suggested input DNA sample range of 0.5-2.5 ng, but have been successfully used to type samples containing less than 0.5 ng of DNA. In this study, several questions were addressed: First, “Are all four STR multiple kits concordant in their reproducibility, reliability, sensitivity and efficiency?” Second, “Is one particular STR megaplex kit more applicable to routine forensic casework?” and Third, “In a mixed DNA sample can individuals, whether male or female, be differentiated?” This paper describes a casework concordance study using adjudicated nonprobative sexual assault, mixed DNA and reference blood samples. Amplifications on all samples, were performed using the AmpFlSTR COfiler, Profiler Plus and Identifiler and PowerPlex 16 Kits and genotyping results were obtained using GeneScan and Genotyper software.