Assessment of the forensic application of 50 Y-STR markers in a large pedigree

• Main Authors: Yi Ye, Yuran An, Yiwen Yang, Hao Wu, Yuzi Zheng, Linchuan Liao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2020-10-01
• Series: Forensic Sciences Research
• Subjects: forensic sciences; forensic genetics; y-str; haplotype; rapid mutation; pedigree
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20961790.2020.1802827
• ISSN: 2096-1790; 2471-1411

Short tandem repeats on the Y chromosome (Y-STRs), characterized by paternal inheritance, are valuable in forensic practice. Notably, the potential application of Y-STRs in pedigrees should be drawn upon, especially in China’s surname-concentrated natural villages. The study focused on 50 Y-STRs, including 13 rapidly mutating (RM) Y-STRs that largely constitute the current Y-STR commercial kits, and determined the differences in these Y-STRs between branches in a large pedigree and the discriminatory power of these haplotypes in different units for male relatives. As indicated in the results, 14 inconsistencies were observed at 9 Y-STRs between 10 father-son pairs. In addition, these 50 Y-STR haplotypes discriminated 10 out of 47 father-son pairs, 106 of 148 cousin pairs, 70 of 119 uncle-nephew pairs, 17 of 39 brother pairs, and 14 out of 33 grandfather-grandson pairs in a large pedigree. The RM Y-STR set is able to differentiate close male relatives in a large pedigree.