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Due to its proficiency to provide the most discriminating results for forensic applications, medical research and anthropological studies, multiplex PCR based STR analysis has been established as the most efficient technique in the forensic DNA analysis. Several multiplex amplification kits based on 4, 5 and 6 dyes chemistry are commercially available and used in forensic DNA typing across the globe. These multiplex PCR systems are routinely used for amplification of multiple STR loci (Autosomal, Y and/or X STR’s) in the DNA extracted from various biological samples. In the routine forensic DNA testing, DNA profile obtained is compared with the DNA profile of the reference sample, which takes a certain turnaround time and employs costly lab resources. Successive development in forensic DNA typing have resulted in advent of improved multiplex kits which have reduced the effective analysis time, cost and minimized the number of steps required in comparison to conventional forensic DNA typing. Specialized direct amplification compatible multiplex kits are also available nowadays. These kits are relatively costlier but still require few pre-processing steps, which does not make them worth the hefty cost. Herein, this study, we have used non-direct multiplex STR kits to assess their efficacy for direct amplification. In the present study, 103 saliva samples were directly amplified without any pre-treatment of the samples using thirteen non-direct multiplex kits (4 dyes, 5 dyes and 6 dyes chemistry based) for forensic DNA typing. Here, we report a validated direct PCR amplification protocol from the reference saliva samples by omitting DNA extraction and quantification steps, which resulted in 80% reduction of the turnaround time. The developed protocol is cost effective, time efficient and it does not compromise with the quality of DNA profiles. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report for direct amplification of DNA with the most commonly used non-direct multiplex STR kits without any pre-treatment of the sample. Complete DNA profiles matching all the essential quality parameters were obtained successfully from all the tested samples.

This study aimed to investigate the genomic diversity and population structure in the Muslim community of Telangana, India, using 23 autosomal microsatellite genetic markers. We also examined genetic relatedness between Muslim and non-Muslim populations of India.A sample of 184 randomly selected unrelated healthy Muslim individuals from the Telangana state were included in this study. The genotyping of 23 autosomal STR markers included in PowerPlexA total of 273 alleles were observed in the studied population, and locus SE33 showed 37 observed alleles, which is the highest number of observed alleles among all the studied loci. Among all the studied loci the most polymorphic and discriminatory locus was SE33, with the values of polymorphic information content (PIC) = 9.411E-01 and power of discrimination (PD) = 9.865E-01. Observed heterozygosity ranged from 6.630E-01 (D22S1045) to 9.239E-01 (SE33). Discrimination power, exclusion power, matching probability and paternity index for all the studied loci were 1.00E + 00, 1.00E + 00, 2.01E-28, and 5.68E + 09, respectively. The studied Muslim population showed genetic relatedness with non-Muslim populations i.e. populations of central India, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh, suggesting the conversion of Hindus during the Muslim invasion.Neighbor-joining (NJ) tree and principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the studied population showed genetic affinity with communities of Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh states. The genetic data of this study may be useful for forensic, medical, and anthropological studies.

The Jat Sikh population is the largest endogamous group of Punjab, a state in north-west India, and has not yet been explored for genetic polymorphism based on X-STR genetic markers. In India, which is the second most populous country in the world, only two population studies based on X-STR markers have been reported so far.To explore the genetic diversity of 12 X chromosomal STR genetic markers in the Jat Sikh population of Punjab and expand the X-STR polymorphism database.In this study, a total of 200 Jat Sikh individuals (100 males and 100 females) residing in Punjab were investigated for 12 X-STR markers using the Investigator Argus X-12 QS Kit.The highest power of discrimination (PD) in females (PDOverall, the studied markers of the Argus 12 X-STR kit provide high polymorphic information which may prove to be an important tool in resolving issues such as missing person identification, incest, immigration disputes, kinship analysis and genealogical studies. The dataset obtained from this study will add to the present database of X-STRs.

Autosomal STR typing using capillary electrophoresis is a reliable method for establishing parentage and for deciphering genomic ancestry.This study was planned to show the genetic diversity of the Jat Sikh population, which is a widespread community of the Punjab region, and to assess its genetic relationship with existing Indian populations.Blood samples of unrelated healthy individuals of the Jat Sikhs (n = 123) were used in this study. Fifteen autosomal STR markers along with the sex determination genetic marker Amelogenin were amplified using AmpFA total of 246 alleles were observed with allele frequencies ranging from 0.004 to 0.447. The heterozygosity ranged from 0.659 to 0.886, and all studied loci were in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE). Fibrinogen A alpha (Aα) chain (FGA) was found to be the most polymorphic and also the most discriminating locus in the studied population. Neighbor-joining (NJ) tree, principal component analysis (PCA) plot, and Nei's Distance matrix revealed genetic affinity with the previously reported Jatt Sikh (Punjab) population and showed the outlier nature of this population compared with other Indian populations.The data generated by this study enhance the database of Indian populations to be used in civil and forensic cases and also in other population-based genetic studies.

The present study based on 20 autosomal STR polymorphism reveals the genetic diversity of the Jat population of Delhi, India (n = 120). A total of 240 alleles were observed for this study. The allele frequency ranged from 0.004 to 0.508. The studied loci followed the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE), and the heterozygosity ranged from 0.658 to 0.908. The locus Penta-E was found the most polymorphic and discriminating in the studied population with the value 0.910 and 0.981, respectively, whereas the locus TPOX was found least polymorphic and discriminating with the value 0.612 and 0.833, respectively. The combined paternity index (CPI) was 1.46 × 109, and the probability of match (CPm) was 2.68 × 10-25 for all 20 autosomal STR loci. The generated data adds to the Indian population database. It will be used for forensic purposes and in other population-based genetic studies.

We conducted a study of 182 unrelated adult individuals belonging to Bhuiyan population resident of Eastern India in order to estimate genetic polymorphism by using 20 autosomal STR loci. The results obtained from this study were compared with the published data of Indian and neighbouring countries' populations. This research study is expected to contribute significantly to forensic investigations for human identification and parentage testing.

This study was conducted to come up with data on Y-STR markers for the population of Rajasthan comprising of the western arid region of India. Y-STR analysis is an established tool in forensic DNA casework and ancestry research. We analyzed 23 Y-STRs in randomly selected 310 unrelated individuals living within the geographical area of Rajasthan to establish parameters of forensic interest. Out of 310 haplotypes, 309 unique haplotypes were observed, which revealed a high discrimination capacity with a value of 0.997 for the studied loci. The gene diversity (GD) and haplotype diversity (HD) for the studied 23 Y STRs were found to be 0.664 and 0.666, respectively. In the population of Rajasthan, locus DYS385a/b showed the highest gene diversity with a value of 0.829 among all the studied loci. The studied population showed genetic relatedness with the populations of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Himachal Pradesh.

In December, 2019, novel corona virus 2019-nCoV or SARS- CoV-2 or COVID 19 was reported in Wuhan city of China. Expeditious transmissibility, extremely virulent nature and acute pathogenicity, World Health Organization declared as a public health emergency of international concern on 30th January 2020. During the pandemic era crime and illicit economies such as organized criminal activities, domestic violence, terrorism, street crime, online crime, illegal markets and smuggling, human and wildlife trafficking, slavery, robberies and burglaries increased in the exponential manner. It was established that the viral particles remain on various surfaces 3 to 5 days, this long lasting persistence of viral particles are serious concern to public health. Since, forensic investigators as well as police personnel directly deal with the crime exhibits, which impose serious concern to their lives.In this report, we explore the impact of COVID 19 pandemic on forensic and new normal practice.

Forensic DNA fingerprinting is the most believed method of the criminal investigation. With the advancementin technology, the method has become more and more sensitive and the technology now uses advancedmethod and new generation faster multiplex amplification systems. Most of these improvements in thetechnique are after the extraction of DNA. Despite automation in DNA extraction, still, the basic process oflysis of cells is an integral part of the analysis. We present here the comparison of DNA extraction resultswith and without using the proteinase k enzyme.

Genetic diversity indices and forensic parameters at 20 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci were evaluated in 541 unrelated individuals of north-western Indian state Rajasthan. In total, 243 alleles were observed with an average of 12.15 alleles per locus. The most polymorphic and discriminative locus was Penta E with a value of 0.908 and 0.984, respectively. The combined power of exclusion and the combined power of discrimination were found to be 0.999999998 and 1, respectively. Additionally, the genetic relationship of the studied population with the reported Indian as well as global populations was investigated. The studied population showed genetic affinity with the previously reported population of Rajasthan and geographical close population's, i.e., populations of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand. All the STR loci were found polymorphic, and the select panel of STRs was found suitable for population genetic studies and forensic analysis.

To explore the genetic diversity and establish the allelic database of the population of Rajasthan, we assessed 571 randomly selected unrelated healthy individuals residing in the state. Blood samples of the selected individuals were collected with the compliance of ethical standards. Locus Penta E was observed to be the most polymorphic (0.908), whereas locus TPOX was observed to be the least polymorphic (0.639). The observed heterozygosity ranged from a minimum of 0.667 (TPOX) to a maximum of 0.925 (Penta E). The combined value of the power of discrimination (PD) and power of exclusion (PE) for all the studied 20 short tandem repeat (STR) loci were observed to be 1 and 0.999999997560235 respectively. The combined values of matching probability (PM) and paternity index (PI) for all the studied 20 STR loci were 7 × 10−26 and 4 × 108 respectively. The obtained genetic data are useful for forensic DNA applications and expected to enrich the genetic database of Indian populations.

In order to find out the genetic diversity in the eastern Indian population of Odisha consisting of various linguistic and ethnic groups, we undertook a study on 508 unrelated healthy individuals belonging to Odisha, India. We assessed genetic variation and compared the data with published literature of Indian population consisting of different ethnic groups from different geographical areas using 21 autosomal STR markers. The most polymorphic and discriminatory STR locus in the studied population was found to be SE33 with the calculated values of 0.94 and 0.991 respectively for both the parameters. The combined power of discrimination (CPD) and combined power of exclusion (CPE) were found to be 1 and 0.999999999704865 respectively. The combined probability of match (CPm) and combined paternity index (CPI) for all 21 autosomal STR loci were found to be 8.01 × 10−26 and 3.45 × 109 respectively. Though, the studied eastern Indian population of Odisha shared its closest genetic affinity with nearest Indian geographical regions, i.e., the population of Jharkhand which is geographically located in eastern India as well as the Central Indian population.

We report here the genomic portrait of Kahar population of Uttar Pradesh, India, drawn by 20 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci included in PowerPlex® 21 multiplex system from 147 unrelated individuals.The combined discrimination power (CPD) and combined exclusion power (CPE) observed a value of 1 for all the tested 20 autosomal STR loci. Locus Penta E showed the highest power of discrimination (0.976) in the studied population, whereas TPOX showed the lowest (0.851). The study presents the first global report on genetic data of Kahar population and comparison at common loci with the previously published population. The study was done with the aim of studying genetic diversity and adding to the population database.

Performance of PowerPlex Fusion 6C kit (PP F6C) was assessed in 374 unrelated individuals belonging to Madhya Pradesh, an Indian state. The study evaluated the forensic parameters for the loci included in PP F6C Multiplex System. The combined discrimination power (CPD) and combined exclusion power (CPE) were 1 and 0.999999995, respectively, for all 23 autosomal STR loci. SE33 showed the greatest power of discrimination (0.990) in the studied population, whereas TPOX showed the lowest (0.843). The availability of three Y-STR loci in the Multiplex System is suitable for assessing male contribution and amelogenin deletion in a single Multiplex PCR simultaneously. The study also presents the first global report on polymorphism in the Indian population on SE 33 autosomal STR loci and PP Fusion 6C Multiplex System. The results revealed that the studied STR Multiplex System is highly polymorphic and suitable for forensic purposes.

In the present study, the statistical forensic parameters were evaluated for the loci present in PowerPlex 21 autosomal and PowerPlex 23 Y-STR multiplex systems in 168 unrelated individuals living in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. The combined discrimination power (CPD) and combined exclusion power (CPE) was 1 and 0.999999 respectively for all 20 autosomal STR loci. Penta E showed the greatest (0.980) and CSF1PO showed the lowest (0.855) power of discrimination in the studied population. The haplotype diversity for 23 Y-STR loci was observed to be 0.999. The study also presents the first global report on polymorphism on D1S1656, D6S1043 and D12S391 autosomal STR loci in the Indian population. The resulting data revealed that these STR multiplex systems are highly polymorphic and can be used for forensic purposes.

In order to create an autosomal STR loci population database for Himachal Pradesh, 259 blood samples were taken from people residing in various regions of the state and AmpFlSTR® Identifiler® Plus PCR amplification kit was used for evaluation of 15 autosomal STR markers. A total of 149 alleles were investigated in this study with a mean allele number of 9.933 per locus. The locus D2S1338 was most informative in our data, as it had the highest discrimination power (PD-0.967) and the highest polymorphic information content (PIC-0.86). The matching probability and typical paternity index for all the studied loci were observed as 2.9x10-18 and 4.7x105, respectively. Discrimination power (CPD) and exclusion power (CPE) for all the studied loci were observed as 1 and 0.999998.

Aim: Genetic diversity and forensic efficacy of 20 autosomal STR genetic markers were investigated in a highly diverse population of Rajasthan, a state in north-western India.Subjects and methods: In this study, 317 blood samples from unrelated healthy individuals were directly amplified using the PowerPlex® 21 multiplex system (Promega). Amplified products were separated by capillary electrophoresis using a Genetic Analyser -3500 XL (Thermo Fisher Scientific). The data thus obtained was statistically analysed using population genetic software.Results: The studied population showed genetic affinity with the geographically close populations. The locus Penta-E was found to be the most polymorphic with a value of 0.90 in the studied population. The combined discrimination power (CPD) and combined power of exclusion (CPE) were observed as >0.999999999 and 0.999999997, respectively, for all the studied 20 autosomal STR loci. The combined probability of match (CPm) was 1.39 × 10-25 and combined paternity index (CPI) was 3.66 × 108 for all the studied loci.Conclusion: The results conclusively support the hypothesis that the studied autosomal STR loci are polymorphic in nature and, besides being useful in forensic applications they can also be applied in anthropological and other population genetic studies. This study supports the 'isolation-by-distance' model. Genetic data obtained from this study will enrich the population data bank.

After more than three-decade of the inception of forensic DNA technology, it is accepted today as the most reliable and most believed technology in forensics and criminal investigation. Modern DNA technology is entirely different from the original 35-year-old technology, which is the result of several decadal developments and advancements. Many incremental improvements and continuous progress have made technology fast, robust, and reliable. For handling the increasing load on forensic DNA testing, more rapid techniques have come up in the last decade. The forensic DNA technology of today is discussed with the available faster direct systems globally. The chapter describes the “Swab in- Profile Out” options available with present-day forensic DNA typing. Though not successful for all variety of forensic samples, the technology is still getting appreciated and is finding its way in forensic laboratories after initial validation.

In this study, we assessed and established an allelic frequency database of Malayalam-speaking population of south western Indian state Kerala, using 15 polymorphic short tandem repeats (STRs) genetic markers. For this study, 464 unrelated healthy individuals were randomly selected following the ethical standards. The most polymorphic and most discriminating locus was D2S1338, with a value of 0.860 and 0.968, respectively. The range of heterozygosity extended from a minimum of 0.668 (TH01) to a maximum of 0.847 (D2S1338). The combined discrimination power (CPD) and combined exclusion power (CPE) were 1 and 0.999997861, respectively, for all 15 autosomal STR loci under study. The combined probability of match (CPM) and combined paternity index (CPI) for all 15 autosomal STR loci were found to be 9.85 × 10−19 and 4.18 × 105, respectively.

This study presents genetic diversity at 22 autosomal STR loci (extended CODIS STR) in the population of Rajasthan. It provides an allelic database of this population for the purpose of forensic inference. 595 unrelated healthy individuals residing in the state were randomly selected from the routine casework of the laboratory. Compliance of ethical standards was ensured during the collection of blood samples. The allele 15 of locus D22S1045 was found to be the most frequent allele among all the studied genetic markers. The matching probability was found to be 1.80 × 10−26 at all the studied markers. The loci Penta E and TPOX were found to be highest and least forensic importance respectively, among all the studied loci. The heterozygosity ranged from 0.711 for locus TPOX to 0.926 for the locus Penta E. The discrimination and exclusion power were found as 1 and 0.999999998292 respectively at all the studied loci. Overall, the highest polymorphism was observed 0.907 for locus Penta E among the studied markers in the population of Rajasthan. In population differentiation test, the population of Rajasthan showed a greater genetic affinity with north-western and central Indian populations than southern and eastern Indian, as well as East Asian populations.

The northern Indian state of Uttarakhand is a landmark of culture, traditional values and natural beauty. It is located on the western side of the Himalayas resulting in geographic semi-isolation, which draws attention to the genomic diversity of the population of Uttarakhand. To explore the genomic structure and forensic characterization, randomly 427 unrelated individuals from Uttarakhand were selected. A wide range of allele frequency (0.001 to 0.415) and observed heterozygosity (0.693 to 0.888) was observed, which points towards a high level of genetic mixing instead of population isolation. The allelic data of 15 autosomal STR markers were found to be under the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium. The population of Uttarakhand showed genetic closeness with geographically close populations, i.e., the populations of Uttar Pradesh, central India and north-western India as compared to geographically distant populations of eastern and southern India, as well as western and eastern Asian populations. The locus D2S1338 (3p21.31) was found to be the most informative marker among all the studied loci with the highest discrimination power (PD = 0.971) and polymorphic information content (PIC = 0.864), while locus TPOX (2p25.3) was found to be the least informative with the lowest discrimination power (PD = 0.862) and polymorphism information content (PIC = 0.654). The combined value of discrimination power (CPD = 1), power of exclusion (CPE = 0.999999023), paternity index (CPI = 9.40 × 105) and matching probability (CPM = 2.10 × 10−18) showed that the tested loci are very useful for personal identification, paternity testing and disaster victim identification.

Rajasthan is a state located in the north-western part of India and it has been cited as a major route of human migration since ancient times. The present study was conducted to find out the genetic affinity of Rajasthani population with the population living in its east as well as the west. In particular, we compared them with the population of Pakistan which shares the common geographical boundary with the Rajasthan while also having a look at their inter and intra population affinities with the population belonging to other Indian states. We investigated the genetic structure and population parameters of Rajasthani populations obtained for twenty polymorphic autosomal STR loci from 669 unrelated individuals belonging to its three population groups including Mina, Gujjar and the admixed population of Rajasthan. The studied populations showed a wide range of genetic diversity and besides the genetic structure of the studied populations, it was found that the average heterozygosity value was highest among the populations of Rajasthan, possibly, because of gene flow from different directions. Various statistical analyses suggested that the Rajasthani populations had a higher affinity with the North Indian populations rather than with the Pakistani population.

This study presents a database related to autosomal STR DNA of population of Chhattisgarh, India and evaluates diversity of autosomal STR in the context of forensic applications and genetics.In this piece of study, allele distribution at 15 autosomal STR loci were investigated for the randomly selected 445 unrelated healthy individuals (205 females and 240 males) from various geographical regions of Chhattisgarh using AmpFlSTR(R) Identifiler(R) Plus PCR Amplification Kit. High degree of genetic polymorphism have been indicated by all the loci with observed Heterozygosity (Hobs) obtained in the range from 0.661 (TH01) to 0.852 (D2S1338). Locus FGA was observed as the most discriminatory and polymorphic with the value of 0.965 and 0850 respectively among all the studied loci. The paternity index and cumulative matching probability for the examined loci were found to be 3.7 × 105 and 3.8 × 10−18 respectively. The cumulative power of discrimination and exclusion were detected to be 1 and 0.99999764 respectively, a sign that all the loci are exceptionally polymorphic and conceivably significant in forensic applications.

India is well known for its broad spectrum diversity concerning cultural, lingual, and ethnic, aligned with caste, tribes, and community segments. Serving for the passage of human migration in history has been reported as the reason for this wide genetic variability in the Indian populations. With the aim to unravel the genetic structure of Kahar and Tharu people of India, 23 Y chromosomal paternal lineage markers were analyzed in 147 unrelated male Individuals (Kahar = 78 and Tharu = 69). The cumulative probability of matching for the Kahar and Tharu people was observed to be 2.94 × 10‐12 and 5.06 × 1012, respectively. Both the studied populations belong to the same geographical region but showed minute genetic distance between each other in population cross-comparison study. Haplogroup R was observed most frequently in the studied populations which are also reported to be the most prevalent in North Indian populations. The genetic distance between the studied and previously published populations was analyzed using the Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) and Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MDS) tool from the Y Chromosome Haplotype Reference Database (YHRD). The Studied populations come up with the genetically close Indian populations from Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Singapore, and Bangladeshi populations from Dhaka, which might be a result of genetic relatedness.

A study was undertaken to evaluate the genetic link of Tharu community with South and East Asian populations. Tharu is an intriguing community that lives in the Terai region of Himalayas. The folklore claims that they originally came from Rajasthan. Previous studies have analyzed uniparental and biparental markers to access their origin and affinity. This is first genetic study based on 20 autosomal STR genetic markers included in the PowerPlex® 21 multiplex system in the Tharu population of India. The wide range of heterozygosity (0.61963 to 0.92025) indicates multidirectional gene flow in the studied population. The locus Penta E was most polymorphic and discriminatory with a value of 0.907 and 0.979 respectively, whereas the locus TPOX was least polymorphic and discriminatory with a value of 0.578 and 0.798 respectively among all the studied loci. The combined value of matching probability and paternity index was observed as 4.2 × 10−24 and 6.01 × 108 respectively. The results showed no deviation from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. All the studied loci showed significant genetic variation when compared with previously reported populations. This study suggests that the studied population has an admixed origin with more inclination towards the populations having a higher genetic relationship with East Asian rather than South Asian populations.

s With the aim to investigate the genetic diversity of the Goud population of Telangana, India, 121 randomly selected healthy individuals were chosen for this study. The genetic diversity of the studied population was inferred using the PowerPlex® Fusion 6C system. A total of 257 alleles were observed in the studied population, along with the mean number of alleles 11.174 per locus. The locus SE33 showed the maximum number of observed allele i.e., 32, whereas locus TPOX showed the least number of observed allele i.e., 5. The studied population showed a wide range of allele frequencies ranged from 0.004 to 0.442. This wide range of allele frequency showed the diverse nature of the studied population, which is also supported by the broad range of observed Heterozygosity with the minimum value 0.628 to maximum 0.893, suggest the multidirectional gene flow in the studied population. The locus SE33 was also observed as the most polymorphic among all the studied loci. The combined value of the power of discrimination, power of exclusion, paternity index, and matching probability was found to be 1, 0.999999999178452, 9.86 × 108, and 4.5 × 10–28, respectively, for all the studied loci. Neighbor-Joining Tree and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) Plot showed the genetic affinity of the studied population with the Indian, central Indian, and populations of Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. This is the first global genetic report of genetic diversity in the Goud population of Telanagana using 23 markers PowerPlex® Fusion 6C system. The obtained genetic data of this study will be useful for forensic application, anthropological, and medical studies.

India is well-known for its autochthonous cultural, lingual and traditional diversity, which has drawn the attention of researchers to unravel the scientific facts behind it at the genetic level, by using various genetic markers namely, autosomal, X chromosomal, Y chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA markers. Y-STR (Short Tandem Repeat) markers are important tools for investigation of patrilineal relationship among populations along with their proven potential in sexual assault cases. This study was conducted with the aim to investigate the genetic diversity in population of Rajasthan based on Y-STR haplotype data. Randomly selected 202 unrelated male individuals were included in this study belonging to geographical region of Rajasthan. 23 Y-STR genetic haplotype DNA profiles of these individuals were obtained using PowerPlex® Y-23 system. In 202 individuals, two hundred two unique haplotypes were observed which showed extremely high haplotype diversity for all the studied loci with the value of 0.99999999999051. The overall gene diversity (GD) value for all the studied loci was 0.999999999988072. The gene diversity (GD) value was observed to be highest (0.912) at locus DYS385a/b. The studied population was characterized by R1a, R2, Q, H1a1a, L1a, L1c, G, I, J, O and E haplogroups. Interestingly, out of total observed haplogroups, R2 haplogroup had a share of 15% which was previously reported as having a low incidence throughout the country. The outcome of this study will be useful in forensic DNA application, anthropological studies and the data generated from it can be used for strengthening of Indian Y-STR database.

Importance of rapidly mutating (RM) Y- STRs) is already established and is evident with the addition of seven RM Y-STR markers in new generation Yfiler Plus (YFP) multiplex system. Performance of the 7 RM Y-STRs included in YFP is evaluated in central Indian population. We also report here a pilot study on genetic polymorphism using 13 Rapidly Mutating Y STRs (RM Y-STR) on Indian population. Forensic parameters including allele frequencies, gene diversities, discrimination capacity and Haplotype diversity will be calculated for both the amplification assays. Forensic application and kinship analysis will be highlighted in thisstudy.

Genetic portrait of population of Uttar Pradesh is drawn by analyzing autosomal and Y- STRs in 100 unrelated male individuals to establish parameters of forensic interest. Allele frequencies are reported for autosomal STRs. The examined autosomal STRs uncovered high combined power of exclusion (CPE) and combined power of discrimination (CPD). The haplotype diversity, discrimination capacity and matching probability for Y-STRs loci are also reported.

We report here the first ever global study on genetic polymorphism using a Verifiler PlusTM autosomal STR multiplex system. The study evaluated genetic characteristics of 23 autosomal STRs in 200 unrelated residents of Guna district of Madhya Pradesh, India. Allele frequencies and forensic parameters are reported. Population comparison analysis was also performed using NJ tree and PCA plot. Penta E marker showed highest power of discrimination (0.938) among all 23 studied markers. The study also presents the first ever global forensic assessment in Indian population on D6S1043 marker (PD 0.937). The results demonstrated that all the 23 markers were highly polymorphic and the Verifiler PlusTM kit is suitable for forensic purposes in Indian population.

The discovery of DNA fingerprinting has revolutionized the world of forensic science and started the wave that it can be helpful in solving crime cases and assisting the criminal justice system. It is one of the milestones in solving crimes with the help of DNA-associated polymorphisms in human beings. The DNA fingerprinting started with Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLP), which was tedious and time consuming but opened the doors for new developments in the arena. Later, with the development of CODIS, STR markers and now NGS have sped up the process of DNA profiling with better discriminating power and enhanced accuracy. The markers being used are short tandem repeats (STRs), species-specific primers, SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphism), NGS (next-generation sequencing), Y-STR, X-STR, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). The identification of human from the DNA profile, generated through the Genetic Analyzer (by electrophoresis of amplified DNA), is the most favored method which is often used in sexual assault cases, paternity disputes, burning, and murder cases as it is believed that DNA is unique to each individual. In recent years, completely automated DNA-profiling system and diverse genetic markers have been introduced. The rapid DNA instruments integrate different steps such as DNA extraction, PCR amplification, separation, detection, sizing, and genotyping of the products on one single platform. This chapter is an insight on the development of DNA fingerprinting over the years and its application in forensic sciences.

This chapter describes a time-scale development of short tandem repeats (STRs) and STR-based DNA technology used in forensic DNA analysis. The text describes the subsequent advancements in the development of the STR multiplex systems. This sequential development in STR-based multiplex systems has increased efficiency, sensitivity, and inhibitor tolerance with improved buffers. The development of different variants of STR-based multiplex systems utilizing different variants including autosomal, mini-, Y-, and X-STRs has increased the flexibility and ease of the forensic DNA analyst. With the availability of genetic analyzers, utilizing sixth dye has created new possibilities toward availability of expanded STR multiplex without affecting the requirement of input DNA for PCR. Rapid PCR and application of next-generation sequencing are also discussed along with the already validated capillary electrophoresis technology.