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

DNA Fingerprinting of Mosses
(Received 15 February 2003; accepted 14 February 2003)

Abstract

Our study introduces the use of DNA fingerprinting of clonal plants in combination with phylogenetic and vegetation studies as a prospective forensic tool in criminal investigations. In this homicide case, the bryophyte species found on the suspects were identified as Brachythecium albicans, Calliergonella lindbergii, and Ceratodon purpureus. Colonies of all three species occurred at the crime site. DNA fingerprinting analyses were conducted for B. albicans and C. lindbergii, which were expected to reproduce mainly clonally, unlike C. purpureus, and included samples found on the suspects and samples collected from the crime site and other locations. It was concluded that B. albicans found on the suspects was likely to originate from the crime scene and that the sample of C. lindbergii may also have originated from the same site.

Keywords:
forensic science, DNA typing, simple sequence repeats, random amplified polymorphic DNA, mosses, Brachythecium albicans, Calliergonella lindbergii, Ceratodon purpureus

Paper ID: JFS2002435
DOI: 10.1520/JFS2002435
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