Can RFLP DNA typing for paternity testing be performed on a
post-mortem tissue sample that was preserved in Formalin in April 1999
and which lab would be
able to do this with a reasonable likelihood of success?

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Request for Question Clarification by tutuzdad-ga on 19 Dec 2002 11:13 PST

In what geographical area are you primarily interested in having the
test(s) conducted?

tutuzdad-ga

Dear ash_muk-ga;

Thank you for allowing me an opportunity to answer your interesting
question.

As indicated in the articles I am directing you to in my “Information
Sources” below, RFPL DNA testing can indeed be conducted on a frozen
post mortem specimen of the age you specified, and even older! In
addition, there are now new, and more accurate techniques of
genotyping since the tissue you mentioned was first obtained. I refer
specifically to one widely accepted by the forensic community, known
as Polymerase Chain Reaction or “PCR-STR” (Polymerase Chain Reaction
using Short Tandem Repeat markers).  Tissue taken from individuals can
now remain in storage for years and it is predicted, in fact, that the
PCR-STR test will be sufficient to test frozen tissue well into the
next decade. Tissue stored in freezers for as long as five years, for
which no adequate means of testing existed, are now yielding results
when tested using this new method.

It is important, though to recognize that since these tests are now
revealing heretofore unobtainable information in some criminal cases,
(specifically in instances where time of prosecution is of the
essence) there may be some backlog in getting testing done. A longer
wait may even be expected for results in cases of a non-criminal,
non-urgent nature.

I have carefully defined my search strategy for you in the event that
you feel the need to obtain additional information on this subject.
The “Google Directory” link you see at the bottom of this page lists
approximately fifty laboratories that specialize in DNA testing. Take
some time to go through them and find out which one meets your
specifications, is located in the area that is best for you, and if
within your financial range.

I hope you find that that my research exceeds your expectations. If
you have any questions about my research please post a clarification
request prior to rating the answer. I welcome your rating and your
final comments and I look forward to working with you again in the
near future. Thank you for using Google Answers.

Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga



INFORMATION SOURCES

“Judicature: From crime to courtroom”
http://www.ornl.gov/hgmis/publicat/judicature/article9.html


Google:
Science > Science in Society > Forensic Science > DNA > Testing
Services > United States
http://directory.google.com/Top/Science/Science_in_Society/Forensic_Science/DNA/Testing_Services/United_States/


IDENTITY GENETICS, INC.
“How DNA Tests Work”
http://www.identitygenetics.com/howitworks.htm


WIKIPEDIA
“Polymerase Chain Reaction”
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymerase_chain_reaction


WIKIPEDIA
“Genetic fingerprinting”
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_fingerprint


“Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLPs)”
http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/R/RFLPs.html


“What is PCR”
http://bip.weizmann.ac.il/mb/bioguide/pcr/PCRwhat.html


“Paternity Analysis by RFLP”
http://www.blc.arizona.edu/courses/181gh/rick/DNA_profile/paternity.html


“DNA Paternity Testing Technology”
http://www.paternitytest.co.uk/technology.html


“NA Typing RFLP & PCR-based Systems “
http://www.dnatech.com/rflp.htm









RECOMMENDED READING


AMERICAN RED CROSS
(Multiple articles of recommended reading)
http://www.redcross.org/pubs/immuno/toc12-4.html


“Reference Books for PCR”
http://bip.weizmann.ac.il/mb/bioguide/pcr/PCRbooks.html




SEARCH STRATEGY


SEARCH ENGINE USED:

Google ://www.google.com



SEARCH TERMS USED:


How RFLP DNA testing works

RFLP DNA testing labs

Frozen tissue sample RFLP DNA testing

Limitations of RFLP DNA

Polymerase Chain Reaction

“PCR-STR”

Genotyping PCR

Genotyping RFLP

Hi, ash_muk-ga!

It sounds to me as if your Question is in regards to something that
may end up in court. If that is the case, then you should be aware of
the following:

1) If the person wanting to do the DNA testing is not an immediate
relative of the deceased person from whom the tissue was taken, unless
they have the cooperation of the immediate family, they will probably
need an attorney and a subpoena to get access to the tissue for
testing.

2) This long after the autopsy, proving "chain-of-custody" for the
sample will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, and the
validity of the DNA test could be challenged on these grounds. In
other words, chain-of-custody can probably not be proven unless the
sample was immediately put under lock-and key after the autopsy, then
kept under lock and key since that time, with only one person having
access to the key, and that person having kept meticulous records
about when the sample has been accessed and by whom. Unless there were
extremely unusual circumstances surrounding the death of the tissue's
owner, you can be pretty well sure this is not the case. If the
results of the paternity test are positive, because of the
millions-to-one odds of DNA matching, chain-of-custody will probably
not be an issue. However, if the results are negative, they can not be
considered conclusive if chain-of-custody cannot be proven.

3) Because it is a medico-legal issue, Community Hospital Labs,
University Hospital Labs, and probably even Regional or National
Pathology labs like Quest Diagnostics will not be willing to touch
such a test with a 100-foot pole. (See
http://darwin.bio.uci.edu/~mueller/error%20rates.html to understand
why.)

What will most likely be required is a lab that specializes in
Forensic testing, which has Pathologists who are accustomed to
testifying and dealing with medico-legal issues on a frequent basis. A
good attorney should be able to track down some of these firms
(Attorney Barry Scheck, the champion of wrongly-convicted prisoners,
created The Innocence Project, which has such a lab.
http://www.cardozo.yu.edu/innocence_project )

Regards,

aceresearcher