Abstract
The DNA analysis of human remains can be challenging despite the strong matrix in bones and teeth that helps preserve DNA. To isolate DNA, the correct procedures need to be applied. Factors such as temperature, pH, and humidity affect DNA degradation, while polymerase chain reaction inhibitors can affect or even prevent DNA amplification. If a sufficient quantity and quality of genetic material is obtained during DNA extraction, the key stage in DNA typing, a genetic profile can be obtained, thereby helping to identify the human remains. The aim of this chapter is to show various pretreatment strategies for bones and teeth (surface washing, chemical washing, enzymatic predigestion, milling and sanding, and ultraviolet radiation), as well as pulverization methods (mortaring, freezer milling, or tissue lysis), manual DNA isolation protocols (total demineralization, organic use of Chelex resin, and manual purification), and available commercial kits for DNA extraction from human remains.
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Saiz, M., Haarkötter, C., Galvez, X., Martinez-Gonzalez, L., Medina-Lozano, M.I., Álvarez, J.C. (2021). DNA isolation from human remains. In: Dash, H.R., Shrivastava, P., Lorente, J.A. (eds) Handbook of DNA Profiling. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-9364-2_38-1
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