Elimination of Bioweapons Agents from Forensic Samples During Extraction of Human DNA†,‡
Jason Timbers M.Sc.
Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1B 8M5 Canada
Forensic Sciences Identification Services, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 1200 Vanier Parkway, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R2 Canada
Search for more papers by this authorDella Wilkinson Ph.D.
Forensic Sciences Identification Services, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 1200 Vanier Parkway, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R2 Canada
Search for more papers by this authorChristine C. Hause M.Sc.
Public Health Agency of Canada, Building #6, Tunney's Pasteur, 100 L'Eglatine, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9 Canada
Search for more papers by this authorMyron L. Smith Ph.D.
Department of Biology, Carleton University, 205 Nesbitt Building, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6 Canada
Search for more papers by this authorMohsin A. Zaidi Ph.D.
Central Pennsylvania Laboratory for Biofuels, Penn State Harrisburg, 777 West Harrisburg Pike, Middletown, PA, 17057
Search for more papers by this authorDenis Laframboise B.Sc.
Public Health Agency of Canada, Building #6, Tunney's Pasteur, 100 L'Eglatine, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9 Canada
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Kathryn E. Wright Ph.D.
Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1B 8M5 Canada
Additional information and reprint requests:
Kathryn E. Wright, Ph.D.
Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology
University of Ottawa
451 Smyth Road
Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5
Canada
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorJason Timbers M.Sc.
Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1B 8M5 Canada
Forensic Sciences Identification Services, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 1200 Vanier Parkway, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R2 Canada
Search for more papers by this authorDella Wilkinson Ph.D.
Forensic Sciences Identification Services, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 1200 Vanier Parkway, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R2 Canada
Search for more papers by this authorChristine C. Hause M.Sc.
Public Health Agency of Canada, Building #6, Tunney's Pasteur, 100 L'Eglatine, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9 Canada
Search for more papers by this authorMyron L. Smith Ph.D.
Department of Biology, Carleton University, 205 Nesbitt Building, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6 Canada
Search for more papers by this authorMohsin A. Zaidi Ph.D.
Central Pennsylvania Laboratory for Biofuels, Penn State Harrisburg, 777 West Harrisburg Pike, Middletown, PA, 17057
Search for more papers by this authorDenis Laframboise B.Sc.
Public Health Agency of Canada, Building #6, Tunney's Pasteur, 100 L'Eglatine, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9 Canada
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Kathryn E. Wright Ph.D.
Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1B 8M5 Canada
Additional information and reprint requests:
Kathryn E. Wright, Ph.D.
Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology
University of Ottawa
451 Smyth Road
Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5
Canada
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Collection of DNA for genetic profiling is a powerful means for the identification of individuals responsible for crimes and terrorist acts. Biologic hazards, such as bacteria, endospores, toxins, and viruses, could contaminate sites of terrorist activities and thus could be present in samples collected for profiling. The fate of these hazards during DNA isolation has not been thoroughly examined. Our goals were to determine whether the DNA extraction process used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police eliminates or neutralizes these agents and if not, to establish methods that render samples safe without compromising the human DNA. Our results show that bacteria, viruses, and toxins were reduced to undetectable levels during DNA extraction, but endospores remained viable. Filtration of samples after DNA isolation eliminated viable spores from the samples but left DNA intact. We also demonstrated that contamination of samples with some bacteria, endospores, and toxins for longer than 1 h compromised the ability to complete genetic profiling.
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