Use of non-human DNA Analysis in
Forensic Science
Fulgence N. Mpenda., PhD
Introduction
• Human DNA, it is not the only source of DNA that
may be useful in demonstrating the guilt or
innocence of an individual suspected of a crime
• Analysis of non-human DNA in forensic science, first
reported about two decades ago, is now
commonplace.
– Results have been used as evidence in court in a variety
of cases:
• Abduction
• Muder
• patent infringement
• dog attack.
Introduction
• Methods used for analysis and interpretation of
short tandem repeat (STR) profiles are same as
those carried out in human DNA analysis
– There is similarity of genomes and inheritance patterns
between organisms
• In the absence of biological evidence to directly
link a suspect’s DNA to a victim or crime scene, the
ability to utilise non-human DNA found as trace
evidence at a crime scene to indirectly make this
link is a highly useful one
Application of non-human DNA testing
• Domestic animals such as cats and dogs live in
human habitats and deposit hair that may be
used to place a suspect at the crime scene
• DNA testing can benefit wildlife law
enforcement efforts to eliminate poaching or
sale of products from endangered species
Application of non-human DNA testing
• Demonstration that a botanical specimen
came from a particular plant can aid the
linkage of a crime to a suspect or help
demonstrate that the body of a deceased
victim may have been moved from the murder
site
• DNA testing can be used to link sources of
marijuana
DOMESTIC ANIMAL DNA TESTING
• Three types of animal DNA evidence:
– (1) the animal as victim
– (2) the animal as perpetrator
– (3) the animal as witness
DOMESTIC ANIMAL DNA TESTING
• The animal as victim
– Animal abuse cases or the theft of an animal can
sometimes be benefited by the power of DNA
testing.
– The remains of a lost pet can be positively identified
through genetic analysis.
– Typically genetic markers like short tandem repeats
(STRs) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are
examined in much the same way as with human
DNA.
DOMESTIC ANIMAL DNA TESTING
• The animal as perpetrator
– When animals are involved in an attack on a
person
– DNA typing may be used to identify the animal
perpetrator (e.g., a Pit Bull).
– Animal DNA testing can “exonerate” innocent
animals so that they are not needlessly destroyed.
DOMESTIC ANIMAL DNA TESTING
• The animal as witness
- Animal DNA has been used successfully to link suspects to crime
scenes.
- A study on the transfer of animal hair during simulated criminal
behavior found that hundreds of cat hairs or dog hairs could be
transferred from the homes of victims to a aggressor
- shed hairs often do not contain roots, nuclear DNA may not be
present in sufficient quantities for STR typ ing.
- Mitochondrial DNA may be a more viable alternative for many
of these types of shed hair transfers.
Types of non-human biological evidence
• DNA from faeces and urine of dogs,
• pet hair has been the most commonly
detected trace evidence in crime scenes
• DNA from saliva around bite wound or bitten
material
• DNA from plant and soil evidence
Types of investigations
• Abduction/kidnap/murder
– Analysis of animal STR DNA
– Analysis of animal mtDNA.
– Analysis of plant DNA
– Analysis of viral DNA.
– Analysis of soil DNA
• Epidemiology
– The field of forensic epidemiology, which investigates
the origin and spread of diseases within human
populations in a forensic
Types of investigations
• Patent infringement
– The banding pattern of RAPD results can be used as in
court proceedings
• Drug enforcement
– Cannabis sativa
– abuse of hallucinogenic fungi such as Psilocybe
• Dog/bear attack
– DNA evidence can be recovered from saliva around the
bite wound and used to bring the owners of a vicious
dog to justice
Techniques for Assessing Genetic
Differences
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