ArticleMolecular biology reports2025
Molecular analysis of time-dependent DNA and RNA degradation in bloodstains: differential stability of HBA and ALAS2 gene targets and its forensic implications.
Article in Molecular biology reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundBloodstains are among the most frequently encountered forms of biological evidence, and their analysis plays a central role in forensic identification and reconstruction. However, the stability of nucleic acids in bloodstains decreases over time and is influenced by environmental conditions. Understanding degradation patterns of blood-specific DNA and RNA markers may support time-since-deposition (TSD) estimations and improve evidentiary preservation. METHODS AND
resultsThis study quantified time-dependent degradation of DNA and RNA extracted from bloodstains stored under three conditions: −20 °C (freezing), 25 °C (room temperature), and natural exposure (variable light/temperature). Bloodstains from six healthy donors were sampled at seven time points over 30 days. Degradation of the blood-specific genes HBA and ALAS2 was quantified using real-time PCR, with Day 0 normalized to 1.00. The storage conditions significantly influenced degradation rates, with the highest stability at − 20 °C, intermediate decay at 25 °C, and most rapid loss under natural exposure. By Day 30, reductions were greatest under natural exposure (DNA: 86–97%; RNA: 97–99%) and lowest at − 20 °C (DNA: 33–47%; RNA: 46–47%). RNA degraded faster than DNA across all non-frozen conditions. A gene-specific effect was observed for DNA, with HBA exhibiting greater stability than ALAS2; no gene effect was detected for RNA. Log-linear modeling of ln(stability) produced negative slopes for all series, with storage-condition-dependent half-lives.
conclusionsThese findings provide quantitative decay parameters for forensic bloodstains and support the complementary use of DNA and RNA for TSD estimation. RNA serves as a sensitive marker of recent deposition, whereas DNA offers improved stability for identification. The results highlight the importance of prompt collection and cold, dark storage to preserve evidentiary value.
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