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Population data of 21 autosomal STR loci in Malaysian populations for human identification

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Abstract

The use of 21 autosomal STR loci for human identification has been gaining popularity throughout the world. It has been indicated that the forensic statistical parameters for supporting the use of 21 STR loci varied among different populations. Hitherto, such data for the diverse Malaysian populations remain unreported, rendering doubts in the court of law about its real ability for human identification in Malaysian population. Using the GlobalFiler™ Express PCR Amplification Kit, complete DNA profiles of 21 STR loci from buccal swabs of convicted Malaysian criminal (n = 570; 190 each for Malays, Chinese, and Indians) (by the year 2016–2017) were analyzed for their allele frequencies, exact test of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, observed and expected heterozygosity, power of discrimination, power of exclusion, match probability, and polymorphism information content. Most of the loci were found to be in the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after the Bonferroni correction. Being the most informative locus, SE33 demonstrated the highest power of discrimination and power of exclusion, indicating its usefulness to discriminate individuals. In contrast, TPOX had the lowest power of discrimination and power of exclusion, as well as being the less informative genetic locus for all Malaysian population studied here. The probabilities that two individuals would share the same DNA profiles among the Malaysian Malays, Chinese, and Indians, as well as in general Malaysian population, were 1.3713 × 10−25, 2.8822 × 10−25, 7.5668 × 10−26, and 1.0385 × 10−26, respectively. The results obtained here were found comparable with similar studies reported in other populations. Hence, its robustness for forensic human identification among the Malaysian populations is, therefore, statistically supported.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the DNA Databank Division (D13) of Royal Malaysia Police for providing all the necessary data for this research.

Funding

This study was supported by the Ministry of Education Malaysia (Fundamental Research Grant Scheme: R.J130000.7854.4F990) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (Research University Grant: Q.J130000.2526.16H92).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

    Mohd Nor Azlan Rashid, Naji Arafat Mahat, Roswanira Abdul Wahab & Hasmerya Maarof

  2. DNA Databank Division (D13), Criminal Investigation Department, Forensic Laboratory of Royal Malaysia Police, BT. 8 ½, Jalan Cheras, 43200, Cheras, Selangor, Malaysia

    Mohd Nor Azlan Rashid & Hussein Omar Khan

  3. Centre for Sustainable Nanomaterials, Ibnu Sina Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

    Naji Arafat Mahat

  4. Centre of Research for Fiqh Forensics and Judiciary, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

    Naji Arafat Mahat

  5. School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia

    Dzulkiflee Ismail

  6. Department of Chemistry Malaysia, Jalan Abdul Samad, 80100, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

    Aedrianee Reeza Alwi

  7. Human Identification/DNA Unit, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia

    SharifahNany RahayuKarmilla SyedHassan

  8. Malaysian Node of Human Variome Project (MyHVP), School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia

    SharifahNany RahayuKarmilla SyedHassan

Authors
  1. Mohd Nor Azlan Rashid
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  2. Naji Arafat Mahat
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  3. Hussein Omar Khan
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  4. Roswanira Abdul Wahab
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  5. Hasmerya Maarof
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  6. Dzulkiflee Ismail
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  7. Aedrianee Reeza Alwi
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  8. SharifahNany RahayuKarmilla SyedHassan
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Naji Arafat Mahat or SharifahNany RahayuKarmilla SyedHassan.

Ethics declarations

The DNA profiles of non-intimate samples (buccal swab) obtained from convicted criminals of any offense under any written law analyzed here were in pursuant to the Subsections 3(3)(c), 8(1)(f), 11(1) and 13(6)(b) of the Malaysian Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Identification Act 2009 (Act 699). Ethical approval (USM/JEPeM/19020136) was obtained from the Human Research Ethics Committee, Univeristi Sains Malaysia.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Highlights

• Analysis of DNA profiles of the Malaysian Malays, Chinese, and Indians to determine allele frequencies and genotype variations.

• Evaluation of forensic statistical parameters to support its forensic application.

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Rashid, M.N.A., Mahat, N.A., Khan, H.O. et al. Population data of 21 autosomal STR loci in Malaysian populations for human identification. Int J Legal Med 134, 1675–1678 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-020-02279-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-020-02279-z

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