The development of Multiplex PCR-STR system for the analysis of genetic data of the Iranian population

Amplification of STR (Short Tandem Repeat) loci has become a useful tool for human identification applications. The STR polymorphisms analyses are not only useful for paternity and forensic identity testing but also for the evaluation of chimerism and engraftment after allogeneic BMT. In this descriptive study, blood samples were obtained from 100 individuals among Iranian population. In order to develop STR-PCR multiplex systems, numerous STR locus combinations and amplification conditions were evaluated; as a result, three non-overlapping triplex STR systems were developed. The first triplex (DDT) includes the co-amplification of the D4S2366, D16S539 TH01 loci; the second triplex (VFF) contains the VWA, FES/FPS, F13A01 loci; and the third triplex (DTC) contains the D13S317, TPOX, CSF1PO loci. The common statistical information used in paternity and forensic sciences such as heterozygosity (H), matching probability (MP), power of discrimination (PD), paternity index (PI), and power of exclusion (PE) as well as the allele frequency distribution were determined for the Iranian population using all three multiplex systems and their representative loci. For all loci, no deviations from Hardy-Weinberg expectations (HWE) were detected. In conclusion, the STR multiplex systems developed have a high power of discrimination (PD = 0.9999999997), and the matching probability (PM) across all nine loci was estimated as 1 in 3.6 billion, which underlines the usefulness of these systems in the forensic medicine as well as for human identity.