Gene

Microsatellite

Biology

DNA extraction

Nuclear DNA

Forensic genetics

Operating system

Massive parallel sequencing

Computer science

DNA sequencing

Environmental health

Computational biology

Ancient DNA

DNA profiling

Genetics

Mitochondrial DNA

Population

Medicine

Polymerase chain reaction

Allele

Profiling (computer programming)

Genes

The integration of massively parallel sequencing (MPS) technology into forensic casework has been of particular benefit to the identification of unknown military service members. However, highly degraded or chemically treated skeletal remains often fail to provide usable DNA profiles, even with sensitive mitochondrial (mt) DNA capture and MPS methods. In parallel, the ancient DNA field has developed workflows specifically for degraded DNA, resulting in the successful recovery of nuclear DNA and mtDNA from skeletal remains as well as sediment over 100,000 years old. In this study we use a set of disinterred skeletal remains from the Korean War and World War II to test if ancient DNA extraction and library preparation methods improve forensic DNA profiling. We identified an ancient DNA extraction protocol that resulted in the recovery of significantly more human mtDNA fragments than protocols previously used in casework. In addition, utilizing single-stranded rather than double-stranded library preparation resulted in increased attainment of reportable mtDNA profiles. This study emphasizes that the combination of ancient DNA extraction and library preparation methods evaluated here increases the success rate of DNA profiling, and likelihood of identifying historical remains.

Ancient DNA Methods Improve Forensic DNA Profiling of Korean War and World War II Unknowns