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                            Library & Multimedia
 Sperm Capture Using Aptamer Based Technology
NCJ Number
              247083

Author(s)
          Evaldas Katilius;
                        Glenn Sanders;
                        Andrew Carmel;
                        Larry Gold;
                        Greggory S. LaBerge
Date Published

June 2014
Length
              42 pages
Annotation
              The Denver Police Department Crime Laboratory, in collaboration with SomaLoci, Inc. (Boulder, CO), identified and developed a DNA aptamer-based system for sperm-binding, isolation, and purification for DNA analysis in sexual assault cases.
Abstract
              This is the first aptamer-based system used in whole cell sperm captures and adapted for use with forensic casework samples. Subsequent short tandem repeat (STR) DNA analysis showed clean male DNA profiles from sperm cells eluted from cotton swabs, the preferred method for rape kit evidence collection. SOMA-based sperm cell separation is comparable to existing differential extraction-based methods; however, more rapid sample processing allows for sperm purification and DNA extraction to be completed in significantly less time. Over the last several years, a class of DNA aptamer molecules called SOMAmers (Slow Off-rate Modified Aptamers) has been identified; they bind specifically to sperm heads and tails. Several SOMAmer candidates have been further selected with the ability to bind sperm under very stringent and selective conditions. Conditions that support both efficient sperm cell elution from cotton swabs and capture using SOMAmer-coated magnetic beads were identified by screening numerous combinations of detergents, salts, and buffer additives. When tethered to magnetic beads using Biotin and Streptavidin linkers, selected SOMAmers demonstrated efficient affinity-based purification of sperm cells from eluates of mock forensic samples that contained a mixture of HeLa cells and sperm cells or female buccal cells and sperm cells. Further research is ongoing in optimizing these SOMAmers under various stringent and forensically relevant conditions, so as to develop an inexpensive and rapid system for sperm cell capture adapted for automation, using robotic workstations commonly found in forensic laboratories. A full forensic validation will be conducted to address reproducibility, sensitivity, and reliability with both mock and adjudicated forensic case samples. 8 figures, 1 table, and 20 references
      
  
          Additional Details
Grant Number(s)
        2009-DN-BX-K043


  
  
        
  Agencies
        NIJ-Sponsored


  
  
        
  Publication Type
        Research (Applied/Empirical)
                                Report (Study/Research)
                                Report (Grant Sponsored)


  
  
        
  Award
        Denver Police Department, Crime Laboratory Bureau: Forensic DNA Research and Development - Sperm Capture Using Aptamer Based Technology
    
  
  
Date Published: June 1, 2014
    
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