Identification of a Family Relationship by mitochondrial DNA Sequence Analysis

, Hee Sun Kim; ,  Hye Rin Lee; ,  Hee Suk Lee; ,  Yong Suk Nam; ,  Juck Joon Hwang

Original article

Korean Journal of Legal Medicine 1995;19(1):27-35.

Hee Sun Kim , Hye Rin Lee , Hee Suk Lee , Yong Suk Nam , Juck Joon Hwang

Korea University Institute of Legal Medicine Department of Legal medicine, Korea University, College of Medicine

Abstract

The human mitochondrial DNA has two characteristics that make it possible to identify individuals and establish family relationships. First, it is haploid, being exhibited only maternal inheritance. Second, it is highly variable on the hypervariable control region of mitochondrial DNA. Taking advantage of two characteristics of mitochondrial DNA, individual relationships in dispute were identified by combining PCR amplification with direct mitochondria1 DNA sequencing. Two persone who alleged the same maternal lineage were identical on the mitochondrial DNA sequences from 15,960 to 16,569 and from 1 to 533. Other two persons were identical on the mitochondrial DNA sequences from 16221 to 16390 each other. However, seven bases are different on the sequences from 16221 to 16390 between two groups. Even though four persons are kinship, these results suggest that they should come front two different maternal lineage.