Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10553/46965
Title: DNA typing for the identification of eight victims of Spanish Civil War reprisals in the Canary Islands: The case of "the Fuencaliente thirteen" mass graves (Fuencaliente, La Palma)
Authors: Betancor, E. 
Fregel, R.
Almeida, M.
Suárez, N. M.
Pestano, J. 
UNESCO Clasification: 32 Ciencias médicas
320102 Genética clínica
550402 Historia contemporánea
Keywords: Skeletal Remains Identification
STR
Prepfiler Express BTA (TM) Forensic DNA
Extraction Kit
Ampflstr (R) Ngm (TM) PCR Amplification Kit
Issue Date: 2011
Journal: Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series 
Abstract: During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), the Canary Islands suffered one of the highest levels of repression by the insurgent side, even though there were no battles in the islands. More than 50 people were killed in the island of La Palma between July 1936 and June 1937. The Association for the Recovery of Historical Memory in La Palma, made up of relatives of people who went missing during the Civil War, located the Fuencaliente mass graves in 2004. The excavation process recovered eight skeletal remains. The aim of this work was the genetic identification of these reprisal victims.In general, obtaining nuclear DNA profiles from old skeletal samples is known to be difficult. Due to the age and conservation conditions, this was the case for the Fuencaliente remains. For these reasons, we firstly attempted to analyze the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Although mtDNA control region sequences were obtained for the eight skeletal remains, the limited number of possible maternal relative donors complicated identification based only on mtDNA.Taking into account the problems in establishing identity by using mtDNA, a few years later we were presented with the possibility of analyzing nuclear DNA using the new PrepFiler Express BTA (TM) Forensic DNA extraction methodology. This extraction protocol, in combination with the new AmpFlSTR (R) NGM (TM) PCR Amplification Kit (Applied Biosystems), allowed us to obtain full nuclear DNA profiles for the eight victims.In conclusion, the use of specific protocols designed for old DNA samples, such as PrepFiler Express BTA (TM) Forensic DNA extraction and AmpFlSTR (R) NGM (TM) PCR amplification kit seems to be crucial for obtaining full nuclear profiles that allow statistically significant identification of the putative relatives.
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10553/46965
ISSN: 1875-1768
DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigss.2011.09.013
Source: Forensic Science International Genetics Supplement Series [ISSN 1875-1768], v. 3 (1), p. e301-e302, (Diciembre 2011)
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