Sequence-based Population Structure, Relatedness, and Inbreeding Estimates for Forensic Autosomal STR Markers

Initial work has been done to update population genetic parameters estimates to allow DNA evidence evaluations using sequence data; in this study researchers expand this work by providing estimates of population structure and relatedness for autosomal STR data generated by sequencing technologies. The authors also discuss the effect of inbreeding on forensic calculations and discuss why the use of genotypic-based estimates may be preferred over allelic-based estimates. Population data have become available for sequence data to aid forensic investigations and prepare the forensic community in the move towards implementing NGS methods. This comes with a need for updated population genetic parameters estimates to allow DNA evidence evaluations using sequence data. Population genetic parameter estimates are reported for autosomal STR sequence data. Estimates are obtained on the basis of genotypes as compared to allelic-based estimators. While levels of inbreeding and relatedness may be low, they cannot be assumed to be zero. (Published Abstract Provided)