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Global mtDNA Databasing Project

Award Information

Award #
2005-DN-R-086-1
Funding Category
Non-Competitive
Status
Closed
Funding First Awarded
2005
Total funding (to date)
$4,993,943

Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2005, $1,891,390)

Global mtDNA Databasing Project: AFDIL intends to greatly increase the size and quality of global forensic mtDNA databases openly available to the forensic practitioner community. Using a proven system for high throughput, robotic sequencing, AFDIL will sequence the entire mtDNA control region (CR) of 7,500 target individuals, over a two year period. Global populations will be strategically selected to augment existing databases, and alleviate the most significant deficiencies. The primary goal of the grant is to assure that the quality of the sequence data is beyond reproach, using a high throughput system for CR sequencing has been carefully designed and tested to produce error-free mtDNA sequences. A second primary goal of this project is to curate and disseminate the databases for maximum utility to forensic practitioners. This will be accomplished by publication of the sequences, and open sharing of both the sequence data, and the supporting electropherogram lane files where appropriate. Finally, the open availability of the sequence data will permit scrutiny, and thus demonstration, of the quality oftbe databases by the academic and forensic scientific communities.

National Missing Persons Database Project: Using established protocols, the Armed Forces DNA Identification, in conjunction with the University of Northern Texas Center for Human Identification (UNT CHI), has set a goal to perform traditional mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA testing on 84 unidentified human remains, as well as Y-chromosomal DNA typing, if requested. The mtDNA sequence profiles for samples will be generated using a published collection of protocols that has set AFDIL at the forefront of processing human remains. Analysis of mtDNA data will be performed by two independent analysts with Sequencher® software. Nuclear DNA profiles will be generated utilizing the AmpFtSTR® Identifiler® PCR Amplification Kit from AB, while Y-chromosomal DNA profiles will be generated via the AmpFtSTR® Yfiler PCR amplification kit. DNA testing and data analysis will be completed over a period of 12 months and all generated data will be transferred to University of North Texas Center for Human Identification (UNT CHI) for final review and evaluation before submission to the FBI's Combined DNA Index System plus Mito (CODIS+mito) database."

Date Created: January 10, 2022