PowerPlex® 16 HS: Internal validation of a new tool for genetic analysis of forensic and parentage testing

Forensic human identification requires powerful and efficient tools to obtain useful results in a minimum timeframe. In this study several forensic and parentage samples that could not be analyzed with others kits were studied using the recently available PowerPlex ® 16 HS kit (Promega). DNA was extracted using four different methods, depending upon the particular sample, and the PCR products were run on an ABI 3130XL Sequencer. The resultant DNA profiles were analyzed using Gene Mapper ID v 3.2 Analysis Software (ABI). Of 30 samples processed with the PowerPlex ® 16 HS system, genetic analysis was successful in 18 (60%). The results obtained show that the PowerPlex ® 16 HS is a valuable tool for forensic identification and parentage testing that is particularly useful for difficult samples that have not yielded adequate results with other methods.