5th INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON KHAZAR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
EPIGENETIC IN FORENSIC SCIENCES: THE SIGNATURE OF TISSUES
Yazarlar:
Fatma ÇAVUŞ YONAR
When a forensic case occurs, evidence at the scene must be identified in order to solve the case, catch the criminal(s) and protect the rights of the innocent. For this reason, many genetic markers have been used in forensic genetics from the past to the present. One of these genetic markers is STR and continues to be used as the gold standard. After STRs, SNPs were discovered that provide more data about individuals. Later, various epigenetic mechanisms that can help identify individuals were discovered in addition to SNP markers. Epigenetics deals with changes in gene expression related to specific epigenetic elements in response to the environment (no change in the genetic code). Some of the most common epigenetic mechanisms are DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs. Epigenetic mechanisms are used to elucidate issues such as identifying body fluids, distinguishing monozygotic twins, progressing wound healing, estimating age, correlating human behaviors and determining the post-mortem interval (PMI). Although the possibility of using epigenetic modifications in forensic investigations has been increasing recently, there are not enough studies on tissue specificity of epigenetic marks. This review highlights the applications of epigenetic modifications, which are heritable and reversible, in forensic investigations. For each epigenetic marker, postmortem stability and tissue specificity are discussed, which are factors that should be carefully considered when studying epigenetic biomarkers in the forensic context. The advantages and limitations of using postmortem tissues are also discussed and directions are suggested for these innovative strategies for analyzing forensic samples.
