Abstract
Paternity testing services are limited in Aotearoa with few labs able to offer the DNA analysis services required to provide results locally. Currently, the Innovative Genetic Diagnosis laboratory, with sister company DNA Diagnostics, is the only lab that offers paternity testing results in New Zealand. Limited availability sees other labs gathering sample data to be sent to larger overseas companies. Offering reliable but sensitive, cost effective and fast paternity testing is of great interest to the Wellington Regional Genetics Laboratory (WRGL), who are interested in providing paternity testing services in Wellington.
The ThermoFisher VeriFilerTM Plus PCR Amplification kit is a six-dye multiplex assay that amplifies 23 autosomal loci, two internal quality control markers, one Y-indel marker and amelogenin, a sex-determining marker. In addition, the use of highly discriminatory Penta E and Penta D markers, tests for a wide range of short tandem repeat (STR) variability. DNA is amplified using 29 PCR cycles and separated for fragment analysis with capillary electrophoresis. Fragment analysis was conducted using SoftGenetics software, GeneMarker V 3.0.0.
Results provided by this kit are informative and yield a high probability of paternity. 30 anonymous father-child blood sample pairs collected from WRGL were examined to establish paternity using the VeriFilerTM Plus PCR Amplification kit. 28 of the 30 father-child matches were successfully made, with the two incorrect matches determined as a result of inadequate peak height analysis for two of the 60 samples. A mean value of 10.86 exclusions per incorrect father-child match was calculated.
This study confirmed the relatedness of these pairs and produced a validated lab protocol for use of the VeriFilerTM Plus Amplification kit at WRGL. This research establishes and validates a protocol that can be used for implementing local paternity testing service. The current literature surrounding the use of genetics and genetic markers for diagnostic parentage testing in New Zealand humans was also assessed.
Future studies should focus on increasing the frequency of human population genetics studies, with emphasis on how a better understanding of genetic markers relevant to Māori and Pasifika can be utilised with next-generation sequencing methods.