Genetic Variations of Nine Malay Subethnic Groups in Peninsular Malaysia Using Autosomal and Y-chromosome Short Tandem Repeats (strs) Analysis

Populasi Melayu di Semenanjung Malaysia terdiri daripada pelbagai kumpulan subetnik disebabkan oleh proses immigrasi dan asimilasi daripada pelbagai etnik dan puak-puak di sekitar perairan di Asia Tenggara sejak dahulu kala. Di dalam kajian ini, sebanyak 290 sampel darah telah diambil daripada 9 kumpulan sub- etnik Melayu di Semenanjung Malaysia yang terdiri daripada Acheh, Champa, Rawa, Kedah, Minangkabau, Bugis, Jawa, Banjar dan Kelantan dan telah dipalitkan ke atas kad FTA The Malay population of Peninsular Malaysia consists of various sub-ethnic groups due to years of immigration and assimilation of various ethnicity and tribes within maritime of Southeast Asia. In this study, a total of 290 blood samples were collected from 9 Malay sub-ethnic groups in Peninsular Malaysia consisting of Acheh, Champa, Rawa, Kedah, Minangkabau, Bugis, Jawa, Banjar and Kelantan and spotted onto FT

Applications of X-Chromosome Short Tandem Repeats for Human Identification: A Review

The forensic DNA profiling technique has tremendously contributed to forensic human identification, an important aspect in forensic investigations. In instances whereby comparison samples are unavailable, utilization of short tandem repeats of X chromosome (X-STRs) may prove useful to resolve complex kinship investigations involving missing persons and mass disasters. Despite such evidential values, the use of X-STRs during investigations remains scarce in many Southeast Asian countries including Malaysia, requiring concerted efforts for establishing forensic statistical support for its diverse populations (especially the admixture populations), standardizing core loci and procedure, improving the knowledge among practitioners as well as developing suitable standard operating procedure for incorporating X-STRs analysis in the overall DNA profiling framework. Hence, this review paper aims to highlight the developments, applications and population data of X-STRs, as well as its challenges and future insights for forensic casework

Population data of 21 autosomal STR loci in Malaysian populations for human identification

The use of 21 autosomal STR loci for human identification has been gaining popularity throughout the world. It has been indicated that the forensic statistical parameters for supporting the use of 21 STR loci varied among different populations. Hitherto, such data for the diverse Malaysian populations remain unreported, rendering doubts in the court of law about its real ability for human identification in Malaysian population. Using the GlobalFiler™ Express PCR Amplification Kit, complete DNA profiles of 21 STR loci from buccal swabs of convicted Malaysian criminal (n = 570; 190 each for Malays, Chinese, and Indians) (by the year 2016–2017) were analyzed for their allele frequencies, exact test of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, observed and expected heterozygosity, power of discrimination, power of exclusion, match probability, and polymorphism information content. Most of the loci were found to be in the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after the Bonferroni correction. Being the most informative locus, SE33 demonstrated the highest power of discrimination and power of exclusion, indicating its usefulness to discriminate individuals. In contrast, TPOX had the lowest power of discrimination and power of exclusion, as well as being the less informative genetic locus for all Malaysian population studied here. The probabilities that two individuals would share the same DNA profiles among the Malaysian Malays, Chinese, and Indians, as well as in general Malaysian population, were 1.3713 × 10−25, 2.8822 × 10−25, 7.5668 × 10−26, and 1.0385 × 10−26, respectively. The results obtained here were found comparable with similar studies reported in other populations. Hence, its robustness for forensic human identification among the Malaysian populations is, therefore, statistically supported