MATERNAL IDENTIFICATION FROM SKELETAL REMAINS OF AN INFANT KEPT BY THE ALLEGED MOTHER FOR 16 YEARS WITH DNA TYPING

This is a case study concerning maternal identification by DNA typing at various loci. An infant skeleton was found in the alleged mother's apartment after it was kept for 16 years. We obtained the skeletal rem ains as well as saliva stains from the alleged mother. DNA typing was conducted for three loci in the HLA class II region (HLA-DQA1, -DPB1, and DRB1), five loci with the AmpliType PM kit (LDLR, GYPA, HBGG, D7S8 , and GC), five STR loci (LPL, vWA, F13B, THO1, and TPOX) and D-loop r egion in mtDNA for maternal identification. Sex determination was acco mplished using fluorescent DNA capillary electrophoresis typing. Appro ximately 5 ng of human DNA was recovered from 1 g of femur bone retrie ved from the infant skeletal remains. The probability of two unrelated Japanese sharing the same genotypes was estimated as 7.2 X 10(-11). T he combined probability of exclusion that an individual is not the mot her was also calculated at 0.998. We therefore conclude that the skele ton is from a female infant, and that there is no inconsistency in the claim that the infant was a daughter of the alleged mother.