Mutation rate at commonly used forensic STR loci: Paternity testing experience

Abstract. Paternity tests are carried out by the analysis of hypervariable short tandem repeat DNA loci. These microsatellite sequences mutate at a higher rate than that of bulk DNA. The occurrence of germline mutations at STR loci posses problems in interpretation of resulting genetic profiles. We recently analyzed 59-159 parent/child allele transfers at 13 microsatellite loci. We identified 12 mutations in 7 microsatellite loci. No mutations were occurred in other 6 loci. The highest mutation rate was observed with 5 mutations at D8S1179 locus at different alleles. The event was always single repeat related. The mutation rate was between 0 and 1.5 × 10 −2 per locus per gamete per generation. The mutation event is very crucial for forensic DNA testing and accumulation of STR mutation data is extremely important for genetic profile interpretation

Mutation Rate at Commonly Used Forensic STR Loci: Paternity Testing Experience

Paternity tests are carried out by the analysis of hypervariable short tandem repeat DNA loci. These microsatellite sequences mutate at a higher rate than that of bulk DNA. The occurrence of germline mutations at STR loci posses problems in interpretation of resulting genetic profiles. We recently analyzed 59–159 parent/child allele transfers at 13 microsatellite loci. We identified 12 mutations in 7 microsatellite loci. No mutations were occurred in other 6 loci. The highest mutation rate was observed with 5 mutations at D8S1179 locus at different alleles. The event was always single repeat related. The mutation rate was between 0 and 1.5 x 10(-2) per locus per gamete per generation. The mutation event is very crucial for forensic DNA testing and accumulation of STR mutation data is extremely important for genetic profile interpretation

HLA B-27 Subtypes in Turkish Patients with Spondyloarthropathy and Healthy Controls

The frequency and the distribution of HLA-B27 subtypes in spondylarthropathy (SpA) patients and controls were investigated in a sample Turkish population. B27 subtyping was performed by PCR-SSP method in two groups: 49 unrelated HLA-B27 positive Turkish patients with the diagnosis of SpA according to the European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group Criteria, and 55 HLA-B27 positive healthy controls. The frequency of HLA-B(∗)27 was 2.6% in the Turkish population, and B(∗)2705 was the predominant allele among patients with SpA. The difference was mainly between male patients and male controls The proportion of B(∗)2705 among B27-positive patients and controls was significantly different (P = 0.02). Our study supports other reports from different populations which showed that B(∗)2705 and B(∗)2702 were more frequent in Caucasian patients with SpA

Gene Regulation of MHC Class-I and MHC Class-II

Introduction: Peptides obtained by processing intracellular and extracellular antigens are presented to T cells to stimulate the immune response. This presentation is made by peptide receptors called major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. The regulation mechanisms of MHC molecules, which have similar roles in the immune response, especially at the gene level, have significant differences according to their class

Mutation Rate at Commonly Used Forensic STR Loci: Paternity Testing Experience

Paternity tests are carried out by the analysis of hypervariable short tandem repeat DNA loci. These microsatellite sequences mutate at a higher rate than that of bulk DNA. The occurrence of germline mutations at STR loci posses problems in interpretation of resulting genetic profiles. We recently analyzed 59–159 parent/child allele transfers at 13 microsatellite loci. We identified 12 mutations in 7 microsatellite loci. No mutations were occurred in other 6 loci. The highest mutation rate was observed with 5 mutations at D8S1179 locus at different alleles. The event was always single repeat related. The mutation rate was between 0 and 1.5 x 10-2 per locus per gamete per generation. The mutation event is very crucial for forensic DNA testing and accumulation of STR mutation data is extremely important for genetic profile interpretation

Do the aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein variants (Q228K and Q307R) play a role in patients with familial and sporadic hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas?

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine mutations in the aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein (AIP) gene by sequence analysis of exons 1-6 using leukocyte genomic DNA obtained from a cohort of familial isolated pituitary adenoma (FIPA) and apparent sporadic functional pituitary adenoma Turkish patients. Methods: Fourteen FIPA and 90 sporadic pituitary adenoma (somatotrophinoma, prolactinoma, and corticotrophinoma) patients, 1 sporadic gigantism case, and 70 healthy controls were included in the study. Results: We did not detect AIP mutations in patients with FIPAs or sporadic pituitary adenomas, including the gigantism case. Only two exonic homozygous missense single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rs641081 [Q228K] and rs4930195 [Q307R]) were identified in the AIP locus. Minor allele frequencies of the Q307R and Q228K variants were significantly higher in FIPA patients compared to controls. In addition, the minor allele frequency of the Q228K variant was significantly increased in patients with sporadic somatotrophinomas compared to controls, whereas the minor allele frequency of the Q307R variant was significantly increased in corticotrophinoma patients compared to controls. Conversely, the minor allele frequencies of Q228R and Q307R variants were similar between patients with prolactinomas and controls. No AIP gene mutation or variant was observed in the sporadic gigantism patient. These results suggest that Q228K and Q307R variants in the AIP gene might be involved in the genetic susceptibility to familial and sporadic pituitary adenomas (somatotrophinoma and corticotrophinoma) in the Turkish population