Kinship analysis based on SNP data from microarray assay

Abstract

Pairwise kinship analysis is the basic approach in forensic examinations. The conventional assessment is achieved after statistical calculation of genetic data from a set of STR markers. However, the combined index of likelihood ratio does not separate siblings from unrelated pairs. In the present study, we ensured the effectiveness of SNP microarray assay to the kinship analysis. Reproducible large-scale genotypes data were obtained by the assay. In the setting of more than 0.05 of minor allele frequency and r 2 = 0.2 in linkage disequilibrium, the SNP data was analyzed using a IBD-based coefficient, π, in addition to IBD values. The minimum numbers of SNP subset for separation of full siblings and second degree pairs from unrelated pairs should be 1000 and 5000, respectively. SNP microarray assay will be useful for the analytic approach for full siblings and the second degree pairs.