Maine Caucasian population DNA database using twelve short tandem repeat loci

A population study of Caucasians residing in Maine was conducted using the AmpFlSTR(TM) Profiler PCR Amplification Kit and the AmpFlSTR(TM) Profiler P lus PCR Amplification Kit (Applied Biosystems Division (ABD) of Perkin Elme r, Foster City, CA). The kits contain the reagents necessary to amplify 12 different STR loci and the gender marker Amelogenin using two multiplex PCR , each containing nine STR loci. Thus, there is an overlap of six STR loci. The 12 STR loci are TH01, TPOX, CSFlPO, D3S1358, vWA, FGA, D8S1179, D21S11 , D18S51, D5S818, D13S317, and D7S820. These loci represent 12 of the 13 co re loci selected by the CODIS STR standardization project. Dye-labeled ampl ification products were separated and detected using the capillary electrop horesis instrument ABI Prism(TM) 310 Genetic Analyzer. Allele frequencies w ere determined for the 12 STR loci. Statistical analysis of the data includ ed Hardy-Weinburg equilibrium (HWE) analysis, pairwise independence testing , power of discrimination (PD), and probability of exclusion (PE).