Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

DNA transfer—a never ending story. A study on scenarios involving a second person as carrier

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
International Journal of Legal Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The transfer of DNA directly from one item to another has been shown in many studies with elaborate discussions on the nature of the DNA donor as well as material and surface of the items or surrounding features. Every DNA transfer scenario one can imagine seems to be possible. This evokes more and more intricate scenarios proposed by lawyers or attorneys searching for an explanation of the DNA of a certain person on a distinct item with impact on a crime. At court, the forensic genetic scientist has to comment on the probability of these scenarios thus calling for extensive studies on such settings. Here, the possibility of an involvement of a second person as a carrier of the donor’s DNA in a variety of different scenarios including three pairs of people and two kinds of items (textiles and plastic bags) was investigated. All transfer settings were executed with and without gloves on the carrier’s hands. DNA left on the items was isolated and analyzed using the Powerplex® ESX17 kit. In 21 out of 180 samples, all alleles of the donor DNA could be obtained on the second item (12 %), on eight samples, the donor’s DNA was dominant compared to all other alleles (38 % of samples with complete donor profile). Additionally, 51 samples displayed at least more than half of the donor’s alleles (28 %). The complete DNA profile of the carrier was found in 47 out of 180 samples (42 partial profiles). In summary, it could be shown that a transfer of donor DNA from epithelial cells through a carrier to a second item is possible, even if the carrier does not wear gloves.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

References

  1. Schneider H, Sommerer T, Rand S, Wiegand P (2011) Hot flakes in cold cases. Int J Legal Med 125:543–548

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. van Oorschot RA, Ballantyne KN, Mitchell RJ (2010) Forensic trace DNA: a review. Investig Genet 1:14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Wickenheiser RA (2002) Trace DNA: a review, discussion of theory, and application of the transfer of trace quantities of DNA through skin contact. J Forensic Sci 47:442–450

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. van Oorschot RA, Jones MK (1997) DNA fingerprints from fingerprints. Nature 387:767

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Di Martino D, Giuffre G, Staiti N, Simone A, Todaro P, Saravo L (2004) Laser microdissection and DNA typing of cells from single hair follicles. Forensic Sci Int 146(Suppl):S155–157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Findlay I, Taylor A, Quirke P, Frazier R, Urquhart A (1997) DNA fingerprinting from single cells. Nature 389:555–556

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Elliott K, Hill DS, Lambert C, Burroughes TR, Gill P (2003) Use of laser microdissection greatly improves the recovery of DNA from sperm on microscope slides. Forensic Sci Int 137:28–36

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Verdon TJ, Mitchell RJ, van Oorschot RA (2013) The influence of substrate on DNA transfer and extraction efficiency. Forensic Sci Int Genet 7:167–175

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Schwark T, Poetsch M, Preusse-Prange A, Kamphausen T, von Wurmb-Schwark N (2012) Phantoms in the mortuary—DNA transfer during autopsies. Forensic Sci Int 216:121–126

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Rutty GN (2000) Human DNA contamination of mortuaries: does it matter? J Pathol 190:410–411

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Fonnelop AE, Egeland T, Gill P (2015) Secondary and subsequent DNA transfer during criminal investigation. Forensic Sci Int Genet 17:155–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Szkuta B, Harvey ML, Ballantyne KN, van Oorschot RAH (2015) DNA transfer by examination tools—a risk for forensic casework? Forensic Sci Int Genet 16:246–254

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Meakin G, Jamieson A (2013) DNA transfer: review and implications for casework. Forensic Sci Int Genet 7:434–443

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Goray M, Mitchell JR, van Oorschot RA (2012) Evaluation of multiple transfer of DNA using mock case scenarios. Leg Med (Tokyo) 14:40–46

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Goray M, van Oorschot RA (2015) The complexities of DNA transfer during a social setting. Leg Med (Tokyo) 17:82–91

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Goray M, Eken E, Mitchell RJ, van Oorschot RA (2010) Secondary DNA transfer of biological substances under varying test conditions. Forensic Sci Int Genet 4:62–67

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Goray M, Mitchell RJ, van Oorschot RA (2010) Investigation of secondary DNA transfer of skin cells under controlled test conditions. Leg Med (Tokyo) 12:117–120

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Lowe A, Murray C, Whitaker J, Tully G, Gill P (2002) The propensity of individuals to deposit DNA and secondary transfer of low level DNA from individuals to inert surfaces. Forensic Sci Int 129:25–34

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Phipps M, Petricevic S (2007) The tendency of individuals to transfer DNA to handled items. Forensic Sci Int 168:162–168

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Poetsch M, Bajanowski T, Kamphausen T (2013) Influence of an individual’s age on the amount and interpretability of DNA left on touched items. Int J Legal Med 127:1093–1096

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Kamphausen T, Schadendorf D, von Wurmb-Schwark N, Bajanowski T, Poetsch M (2012) Good shedder or bad shedder—the influence of skin diseases on forensic DNA analysis from epithelial abrasions. Int J Legal Med 126:179–183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Daly DJ, Murphy C, McDermott SD (2012) The transfer of touch DNA from hands to glass, fabric and wood. Forensic Sci Int Genet 6:41–46

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Raymond JJ, van Oorschot RA, Gunn PR, Walsh SJ, Roux C (2009) Trace evidence characteristics of DNA: a preliminary investigation of the persistence of DNA at crime scenes. Forensic Sci Int Genet 4:26–33

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Kamphausen T, Fandel SB, Gutmann JS, Bajanowski T, Poetsch M (2015) Everything clean? Transfer of DNA traces between textiles in the washtub. Int J Legal Med 129:709–714

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Schwark T, Poetsch M, Preusse-Prange A, Kamphausen T, von Wurmb-Schwark N (2012) Phantoms in the mortuary-DNA transfer during autopsies. Forensic Sci Int 216:121–126

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. DeSalle R, Bonwich E (1996) DNA isolation, manipulation and characterization from old tissues. Genet Eng (N Y) 18:13–32

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Schneider PM, Fimmers R, Keil W, Molsberger G, Patzelt D, Pflug W, Rothamel T, Schmitter H, Schneider H, Brinkmann B (2009) The German Stain Commission: recommendations for the interpretation of mixed stains. Int J Legal Med 123:1–5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, D-45122, Essen, Germany

    Janine Helmus, Thomas Bajanowski & Micaela Poetsch

Authors
  1. Janine Helmus
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Thomas Bajanowski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Micaela Poetsch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Micaela Poetsch.

Ethics declarations

All samples were obtained after informed consent and with approval of the Medical Ethics Committee at the University of Duisburg-Essen in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and national laws.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Figure S1

Percentages of complete profiles (cp) and partial profiles (pp) of donor DNA (above) and carrier DNA (below) in each scenario after tertiary transfer. (DOCX 61 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Helmus, J., Bajanowski, T. & Poetsch, M. DNA transfer—a never ending story. A study on scenarios involving a second person as carrier. Int J Legal Med 130, 121–125 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-015-1284-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-015-1284-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation