Abstract
Upon the death of an organism, internal nucleases contained within the cells should cause DNA to degrade into smaller fragments over time, if these fragments can be isolated and visualized, and if the fragmentation is proved to be measurable and quantifiable, it can be a good indicator of the postmortem interval (PMI). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of PMI on DNA degradation in different tissues of drowned rats through quantitative analysis of DNA degradation by easily applicable method. To profile postmortem degradation of DNA, it was extracted, at different PMI (0, 3, 6, 12, 24 hours), from the brain, lungs, spleen, liver and skeletal muscles of drowned rats. Electrophoresis method was used to detect the relationship between the amount of degraded DNA and PMI in different tissues. The present research used a simple, easy, applicable and highly informative electrophoresis method that make it an ideal for the busy forensic laboratory. The postmortem DNA fragmentation observed in this study, reveals a sequential, time-dependent process with the potential for use as a predictor of PMI in cases of drowning. There is linear relationship between the degradation rate of nuclear DNA and PMI in some studied viscera like liver. Some organs like brain showed slower degradation rate of DNA. So, it is considered as a valuable organ for studying DNA in longer PMI. This result shows a potential for use as a future applied method of evaluating time since death.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
More From: Mansoura Journal of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.