Forensic genetics

Forensic genetics analyzes genetic variation to identify individuals and assess biological relationships in legal investigations. It includes methods for interpreting DNA evidence and evaluating its statistical weight.

Short tandem repeat: A DNA sequence motif repeated consecutively at a locus, with repeat counts that vary among people. STR loci provide the variable markers used in most routine forensic DNA profiles.
DNA: A molecule that stores hereditary information in living organisms. Forensic profiles measure differences in selected regions of DNA.
DNA profiling: The analysis of selected genetic regions to produce a pattern used to distinguish individuals. This is the standard approach for comparing biological evidence with reference samples.
Y-STR analysis: DNA profiling of short tandem repeats on the Y chromosome, typically inherited along the paternal line. Y-STRs can aid male-line comparisons but usually distinguish paternal lineages less finely than autosomal STRs.
Polymerase chain reaction: A laboratory method that makes many copies of a selected DNA region. PCR amplifies small amounts of DNA from crime-scene samples for profiling.
Genetic marker: A measurable genetic feature used to distinguish individuals, populations, or inherited lineages. Marker variation supplies the comparisons on which forensic identification depends.
Forensic genealogy: The use of genetic genealogy methods to identify unknown people or generate investigative leads. Investigators can search distant biological relationships when ordinary profile searches find no match.
Mitochondrial DNA analysis: The analysis of DNA in mitochondria, which is inherited mainly through the maternal line. It can recover information from hair shafts and old remains when nuclear DNA is scarce.
Capillary electrophoresis: A separation method that moves charged molecules through a narrow capillary under an electric field. It separates amplified DNA fragments by length to produce STR allele measurements.
Allele: One of several alternative forms of a genetic sequence at a particular locus. A forensic profile records which alleles are observed at selected loci.

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