Differential Greek and northern African migrations to Sicily are supported by genetic evidence from the Y chromosome
The presence or absence of genetic heterogeneity in Sicily has long been debated. Through the analysis of the variation of Y-chromosome lineages, using the combination of haplogroups and short tandem repeats from several areas of Sicily, we show that traces of genetic flows occurred in the island, due to ancient Greek colonization and to northern African contributions, are still visible on the basis of the distribution of some lineages. The genetic contribution of Greek chromosomes to the Sicilian gene pool is estimated to be about 37% whereas the contribution of North African populations is estimated to be around 6%. In particular, the presence of a modal haplotype coming from the southern…
The molecular characterization of a depurinated trial DNA sample can be a model to understand the reliability of the results in forensic genetics
The role of DNA damage in PCR processivity/fidelity is a relevant topic in molecular investigation of aged/forensic samples. In order to reproduce one of the most common lesions occurring in postmortem tissues, a new protocol based on aqueous hydrolysis of the DNA was developed in vitro. Twenty-five forensic laboratories were then provided with 3.0 μg of a trial sample (TS) exhibiting, in mean, the loss of 1 base of 20, and a molecular weight below 300 bp. Each participating laboratory could freely choose any combination of methods, leading to the quantification and to the definition of the STR profile of the TS, through the documentation of each step of the analytical approaches selected. …
Y-chromosomal STR haplotypes in Sicily
Eight Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (STRs)-DYS19, DYS389-I, DYS389-II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393 and DYS385 - were typed in a population sample (n = 255) of unrelated Sicilian males from nine different towns on the main island and from the island of Pantelleria. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
WITHDRAWN: Corrigendum to ‘Development of an Italian RM Y-STR haplotype database: results of the 2013 GEFI collaborative exercise’ [Forensic. Sci. Int. Genet. 15 (2015) 56-63]
An inconsistency in the nomenclature used for the rapidly mutating (RM) Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (Y-STR) marker DYS449 was noted in the above paper. In this paper, the DYS449 allele nomenclature introduced by Ballantyne et al. was used, instead of that described by Redd et al. and subsequently adopted by the International RM Y-STR User Group and in the AMPFlSTR® YFiler Plus kit.
Development of an Italian RM Y-STR haplotype database: Results of the 2013 GEFI collaborative exercise.
Recently introduced rapidly mutating Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (RM Y-STR) loci, displaying a multiple-fold higher mutation rate relative to any other Y-STRs, including those conventionally used in forensic casework, have been demonstrated to improve the resolution of male lineage differentiation and to allow male relative separation usually impossible with standard Y-STRs. However, large and geographically-detailed frequency haplotype databases are required to estimate the statistical weight of RM Y-STR haplotype matches if observed in forensic casework. With this in mind, the Italian Working Group (GEFI) of the International Society for Forensic Genetics launched a collaborative ex…