Determining the identity of a person through a DNA sample is rarely straightforward, especially if the sample comes from a decomposed, burned, or otherwise degraded source. A body that has been submerged under water for months, for example, may contain DNA fragments that are too small to be analyzed by conventional means. Two companies, Foster City, Calif.-based Applied Biosystems
Applied Biosystems' new Quantifiler™ Human DNA and Y Human Male DNA Quantification kits enable investigators to rapidly determine if a sample contains DNA suitable for conventional analysis. Designed for real-time PCR (RT-PCR) quantification of DNA in a sample, the kits use automation to reduce hands-on time, says associate product manager Karen Cormier. And, because the technique is PCR-based, the kits provide a more comparable indicator of how much of the DNA in the sample can ...
