Abstract

Messenger RNA profiling is a useful confirmatory test for body fluid identification, but there are limitations to this method including sensitivity and the difficulty in linking body fluids with the corresponding DNA profile in mixed samples. We have developed a method for RNA suspension fluorescence in situ hybridisation (RNA S-FISH) for forensic-type samples using locked nucleic acid (LNA) probes. Vaginal and buccal epithelial cells have been the primary focus, with some preliminary work performed on leucocytes and seminal round cells. We have designed probes for the KRT10 messenger RNA and the micro RNA 891a. Using these probes, we have optimised a RNA S-FISH methodology and have successfully visualised these cell types using fluorescent microscopy.

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