VALIDATION OF PROBE EFD52 (D17S26) FOR FORENSIC DNA ANALYSIS

Validation studies that meet TWGDAM (The Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods) and CAC (California Association of Criminalists) guidelines for RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) analysis were perf ormed with the DNA probe EFD52 (D17S26). These studies demonstrate tha t the probe EFD52 is suitable for forensic casework. No unexpected DNA banding patterns were obtained from controlled studies examining vari ous tissues, sample consistency over many gels, mixtures of body fluid s, various substrates, various contaminants and non-human DNA sources. Of all the animal DNAs tested, only one higher primate yielded a sing le band to EFD52 hybridization. The sensitivity of EFD52 was shown to be comparable to that of other forensic probes. Population frequency d istribution tables were prepared from over 4000 alleles and two-locus studies were conducted on nine forensically useful probes. Black, Whit e, Hispanic and Lumbee Indian populations were found to be in Hardy-We inberg and linkage equilibrium. Comparisons between victim blood stand ards and epithelial fractions of mixed stains from sexual assault case s were used to demonstrate the robustness of the EFD52 probe in forens ic casework.