Internal validation of the AmpF/STR Yfiler™ amplification kit for use in forensic casework

Y-chromosomal short-tandem repeat (Y-STR) amplification has been used in forensic casework at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) Forensic Science Laboratory since 2003. At that time, two separate amplifications were required to type the SWGDAM recommended loci (DYS19, DYS385a/b, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS438, and DYS439). The Yfiler(TM) kit coamplifies these loci as well as DYS437, DYS448, DYS456, DYS458, DYS635, and Y GATA H4. The Yfiler(TM) kit was validated following the internal validations outlined in the SWGDAM revised validation guidelines. Our studies show that 0.125 ng of male DNA will generate a complete 17 locus profile and that as little as 0.06 ng of male DNA yields an average of nine loci. In the male-male mixtures, a complete profile from the minor component was detected up to 1:5 ratio; most of the alleles of the minor component were detected at a 1:10 ratio and more than half the alleles of the minor component were detected at a 1:20 ratio. Complete YSTR profiles were obtained when 500 pg male DNA was mixed with female DNA at ratios up to 1:1000. At ratios of 1:5000 and 1:10,000 (male DNA to female DNA) inhibition of the YSTR amplification was evident. The YSTR results obtained for the adjudicated case samples gave significantly more probative information than the autosomal results. Our studies demonstrate that the Yfiler(TM) kit is extremely sensitive, does not exhibit cross-reactivity with female DNA, successfully types male DNA in the presence of overwhelming amounts of female DNA and is successful in typing actual forensic samples from adjudicated cases.