UNIVERSITY OF MALTA
LIFE SCIENCE RESEARCH SEMINARS
Web: http://www.um.edu.mt/events/scisem/
Email: scisem@um.edu.mt
Abstract form
Title: mRNA and DNA profiling of body fluid stains
Presenter: Joanna Vella
Contact address: Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Department of Physiology
and Biochemistry, University of Malta
Tel: 23403048
Fax:
Email: jvell05@um.edu.mt
Presentation date: 2 May 2011
Abstract
Co-extraction of nucleic acids from a body fluid stain could serve to identify the
cellular origin of the body fluid through messenger RNA (mRNA) profiling and the
individual from whom it came through DNA analysis. A reverse transcription
endpoint polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was optimised to identify blood,
semen and saliva stains by measuring expression levels of haemoglobin beta
(HBB), protamine 1 (PRM1) and statherin (STATH). DNA and RNA were coextracted from five 5µl and 1µl stains, from one volunteer for each body fluid type.
HBB was expressed in all blood stains. PRM1 was expressed in 80% of the semen
stains. STATH was expressed in: all 5µl saliva stains and 20% of the 1µl samples.
Full DNA profiles were obtained for 5µl blood and 5µl and 1µl semen stains. Partial
DNA profiles were obtained for 5µl saliva stains. No DNA profiles were obtained for
1µl blood and saliva stains. This research shows how it is possible to recover both
types of nucleic acids from blood and semen samples though further study is
required for saliva samples. The study calls for a validation of: the specificity and
sensitivity of the mRNA markers; and the sensitivity and reproducibility of the
method.