Forensic transcriptome analysis using massively parallel sequencing

• Published in: Forensic science international : genetics 2021-05, Vol.52, p.102486-102486, Article 102486
• Main Authors: Haas, Cordula, Neubauer, Jacqueline, Salzmann, Andrea Patrizia, Hanson, Erin, Ballantyne, Jack
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Body fluid/ tissue identification; Cardiac causes of death; cSNPs; Donor age; Forensic science; Massively Parallel Sequencing (MPS); PMI; RNA; Transcriptome; TsD
• ISSN: 1872-4973; 1878-0326
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2021.102486

The application of transcriptome analyses in forensic genetics has experienced tremendous growth and development in the past decade. The earliest studies and main applications were body fluid and tissue identification, using targeted RNA transcripts and a reverse transcription endpoint PCR method. A number of markers have been identified for the forensically most relevant body fluids and tissues and the method has been successfully used in casework. The introduction of Massively Parallel Sequencing (MPS) opened up new perspectives and opportunities to advance the field. Contrary to genomic DNA where two copies of an autosomal DNA segment are present in a cell, abundant RNA species are expressed in high copy numbers. Even whole transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) of forensically relevant body fluids and of postmortem material was shown to be possible. This review gives an overview on forensic transcriptome analyses and applications. The methods cover whole transcriptome as well as targeted MPS approaches. High resolution forensic transcriptome analyses using MPS are being applied to body fluid/ tissue identification, determination of the age of stains and the age of the donor, the estimation of the post-mortem interval and to post mortem death investigations. •Provides an overview on forensic transcriptome analyses and current and potential future applications.•Body fluid / tissue identification and association of a body fluid with persons of interest in a mixture.•Predicting the age of stains and the age of the body fluid donor.•Post-mortem interval determination and cardiovascular-focused post mortem death investigations.