Ribonucleic acid . Importance in forensic molecular biology

In this article a digression into the biology and analysis of ribonucleic acid (RNA) will be followed by a review of the possibilities and aspects of the forensic analytic use of individual RNA forms. Various forms of RNA fulfil many core functions in living cells and tissues. Messenger RNA (mRNA) serves as a temporary information transporter of gene expression and the analysis of total RNA of a cell at any point in time, the transcriptome, allows the determination of cell type and state. This can be used in forensic problems for the assignment of biological specimens and components of mixed stains containing different body fluids to particular tissues. The relationship of the various degradation processes of individual RNA types can be used for the molecular age estimation of biological stains. The differential and stage-specific expression of mRNA is useful for forensic evaluation of wound age and condition, healing processes and also gestational age and can also provide evidence on pathophysiological processes related to the stages of dying. With the continuously increasing importance, multitude of methods and scope of forensic RNA analysis, the potential of investigating micro-RNA expression patterns has also recently been evaluated for forensic casework.