ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 March 2003
Page Count: 4

Variant Alleles on the Penta E Locus in the PowerPlex® 16 Kit
(Received 27 July 2002; accepted 16 November 2002)

Abstract

Penta E in the PowerPlex® 16 kit is a pentanucleotide tandem repeat marker located on Chromosome 15, containing an AAAGA repeat motif. Variant alleles (18.4 and 19.4) were found in the Japanese population. A sequence analysis revealed that both the variant alleles had a partial repeat motif of AAAA, resulting in one-base-shorter alleles compared to known alleles. Despite the relatively large amplicon sizes (379 to 474 bp) of Penta E, an accurate allele assignment can be reliably made by capillary electrophoresis. However, alleles differing in size by only one base (e.g., 18.4 and 19) were not separated and appeared as a single broad peak. The Genotyper® software assigned one of the component alleles to this peak. Therefore, such broad peaks require careful interpretation so as to not overlook the other component allele contained by the peak. As an index to recognize a peak containing two alleles, the ratio of peak area to peak height was found to be useful.

Keywords:
forensic science, DNA typing, pentanucleotide tandem repeat marker, capillary electrophoresis, Penta E, short tandem repeat, PowerPlex 16

Paper ID: JFS2002259
DOI: 10.1520/JFS2002259
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