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Assessing the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) as a tool in the detection of human DNA in water
journal contribution
posted on 2022-11-17, 04:51 authored by Marie Antony Dass, Craig ShermanCraig Sherman, Ryan Yi Heng Nai, MR Ellis, RAH van Oorschot, Annalisa DurdleAnnalisa DurdleEnvironmental DNA (eDNA) is a highly sensitive and cost-effective tool that is increasingly being applied to studies of biodiversity and species detection. This non-invasive method relies on the collection of environmental samples that contain genetic material being shed into surrounding environment by the target organism/s. While forensic science has a long history of using molecular tools for collecting DNA from the environment, the detection of human DNA from environmental water samples has been limited. This study investigated the detection and degradation rates of human eDNA in water samples under controlled laboratory conditions. Using a human-specific qPCR assay targeting the ND1 region of human mitochondrial DNA, eDNA degradation over time in water spiked with human blood was assessed. Recovery of nuclear DNA was investigated by determining if routine DNA short tandem repeat (STR) profiles of the blood source could be generated. Results demonstrated that human eDNA remains detectable for up to 11 days under laboratory conditions in environmental water and up to 35 days in distilled water. Partial STR profiles could be recovered from environmental water only up to 24 h, while, in distilled water, partial profiles continued to be recovered up to 840 h. These findings demonstrate that sampling human eDNA from aquatic samples can provide reliable human DNA detection within relatively short time windows, assisting law enforcement agencies by providing information about the potential time an individual may have been present in an area or assisting in the detection and location of a body or remains in aquatic environments.
History
Journal
Journal of Forensic SciencesVolume
67Pagination
2299-2307Location
London, Eng.Publisher DOI
ISSN
0022-1198eISSN
1556-4029Language
EnglishPublication classification
C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalIssue
6Publisher
WileyUsage metrics
Categories
Keywords
BACTEROIDESbloodDEGRADATIONDNA degradationenvironmental DNA (eDNA)environmental waterEXTRACELLULAR DNAFORENSIC SAMPLEShuman DNAHUMAN REMAINSLegal MedicineLife Sciences & BiomedicineMARINE-SEDIMENTSMedicine, Legalmitochondria' DNAnuclear DNAPERSISTENCEQUANTIFICATIONScience & Technologyshort tandem repeatTEMPERATURETIME QPCR ASSAYmitochondrial DNAHumansDNA, EnvironmentalWaterBiodiversityDNA, MitochondrialGeneticsSchool of Life and Environmental SciencesCentre for Regional and Rural FuturesFaculty of Science Engineering and Built EnvironmentChemical Sciences not elsewhere classifiedClinical Sciences not elsewhere classifiedBiological Sciences not elsewhere classified
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