Genetic variation and population genetic data of the short tandem repeat locus D8S320

The locus D8S320 is an STR system first described in 1993 as a simple (AAAG ) repeat. Sequencing data revealed that the D8S320 locus is a complex STR s ystem consisting of (AAAG)- and (AAAC)-repeat units. A total of 22 differen t alleles were found in a population survey of 210 unrelated individuals fr om the Rhine area with frequencies ranging from <0.01 to 0.198. The populat ion data revealed the existence of variant alleles differing by 1 and 2 bp from the consensus allele. Due to the complex repeat structure consisting o f three variable regions and one constant region, electrophoresis under den aturing conditions is strongly recommended. The statistical values were cal culated to be 0.89 (observed heterozygosity rate), 0.96 (discrimination ind ex) and 0.71 (mean exclusion chance), No deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equi librium (HWE) was observed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All figh ts reserved.