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The HLA-DQα system is used to an increasing degree in forensic serology, for stain investigations, and paternity cases. Therefore samples which were taken from 85 unrelated persons living in Austria were examined. DNA was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification followed by hybridization to allele-specifïc oligonucleotide probes in a reversed dot-blot technique after extraction with phenol/chloroform. HLA-DQα allele frequencies of German, Finnish, Dutch, British, Italian, Caucasian/USA and of Austrian populations were compared. Six common HLA-DQα alleles are detectable. These alleles determine 21 possible genotypes. In our study 20 genotypes were obtained; the genotype 3/3 was not observed. The HLA-DQα typing system using PCR-amplified DNA is a simple and rapid method for typing very small amounts of DNA and very old and/or degraded DNA. Therefore it is a helpful method in forensic casework.

A systematic approach for quantification of genomic DNA from skin samples Abstract In this study we investigated if skin samples ate suitable DNA sources for molecular biological examinations. For this purpose appropriate extraction, detection and quantification methods are required. These demands are met by phenol extraction and by the QuantiBlot Human DNA Quantitation Kit. Skin samples were taken from different regions from corpses of both sexes (face, elbow, knee, sole of the foot, neck and back). The parallel use of two extraction methods and subsequent quantification indicated higher yields of genomic DNA with the phenol-extraction than with Chelex-extraction. The average DNA content from skin traces from the neck. back, sole of the foot and elbow was 690.95 ng/mg dried skin. Paraffin-embedded skin samples (average DNA coetent of ten 5 ~m-thick paraffin sections ranged from 2.5 to 25 ng) are also useful for molecular investigations. All skin samples could be typed with four STR systems (HUM-FES/FPS, HUMTH01, HUMF13A01 and HUMVWA31) and Amelogenin. A hit-and-run offence described in this report could be clarified by means of DNA typing of a skin abrasion from the victim on the vehicle. Key words

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