Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34374411›Full record

ArticleEmerging topics in life sciences2021

Mitochondrial DNA in forensic use.

Denise Syndercombe Court

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Emerging topics in life sciences, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 24 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
24citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

24 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Molecular Age Estimation: Current Perspectives and Future Considerations.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026
    Review
  6. A multi-level overview of the hair decomposition process.International journal of legal medicine · 2025
    Review
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Review
  11. Mitochondrial Control Region Database of Hungarian Fallow Deer (Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2024
    Article
  12. mtDNA analysis using Mitopore.Molecular therapy. Methods & clinical development · 2024
    Article
  13. Review
  14. Review
  15. Review
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Review
  19. Article
  20. The Revolution of Animal Genomics in Forensic Sciences.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

1 author.

Denise Syndercombe CourtKing's College London, London 164651, U.K.ORCID 0000-0003-2348-6915

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Genetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has always been a useful tool for forensic geneticists, mainly because of its ubiquitous presence in biological material, even in the absence of nuclear DNA. Sequencing, however, is not a skill that is part of the routine forensic analysis because of the relative rarity of requests, and the need for retention of necessary skill sets and associated accreditation issues. While standard Sanger sequencing may be relatively simple, many requests are made in the face of compromised biological samples. Newer technologies, provided through massively parallel sequencing (MPS), will increase the opportunity for scientists to include this tool in their routine, particularly for missing person investigations. MPS has also enabled a different approach to sequencing that can increase sensitivity in a more targeted approach. In these circumstances it is likely that only a laboratory that specialises in undertaking forensic mtDNA analysis will be able to take these difficult cases forward, more so because reviews of the literature have revealed significantly high levels of typing errors in publications reporting mtDNA sequences. The forensic community has set out important guidelines, not only in the practical aspects of analysis, but also in the interpretation of that sequence to ensure that accurate comparisons can be made. Analysis of low-level, compromised and ancient DNA is not easy, however, as contamination is extremely difficult to eliminate and circumstances leading to sequencing errors are all too easily introduced. These problems, and solutions, are discussed in the article in relation to several historic cases.

Indexed as

DNA, MitochondrialForensic GeneticsHigh-Throughput Nucleotide SequencingHumansMitochondriaSequence Analysis, DNADNA, Mitochondrialancient DNAforensicmitochondria

Identifiers

PMID34374411
PMCPMC8457767

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.