How DNA Testing Tells Humans Apart from Pets

DNA testing has become a big deal in forensics. It helps solve crimes by identifying people through their genetic material. One type of DNA test looks at insertions and deletions of genetic code. These are known as InDels. A new test, the 36-InDelplex panel, was created to spot human DNA. It focuses on 34 specific points in the genome, plus two markers for sex identification. The goal was to see if this test could tell human DNA apart from animal DNA. To check this, scientists used leftover blood samples from animals at a university vet hospital. These samples were meant for other tests, but the scientists saw an opportunity. They used a kit to extract DNA from the blood. Then, they ran the 36-InDelplex panel on these samples. The results were analyzed using special software. The findings were clear. The test worked well. It showed that the 36-InDelplex panel could tell human DNA from animal DNA. For example, cats and dogs had a peak at a certain point that humans did not. This shows the test is specific to humans. However, there were some unexpected results. A few animals had peaks outside the expected range. But these were not significant. Overall, the test showed high specificity for human DNA. This is great news for forensics. Crime scenes often have animal DNA mixed in. This test can help sort out the human DNA, making investigations more accurate. However, the study had limits. It did not include primate samples. Primates are closer to humans genetically, so testing them could give more insights. Also, the sample size was small. Testing more animals could confirm the results. The 36-InDelplex panel shows promise. It could become a key tool in forensic science. But more research is needed. Testing a wider range of animals and larger samples could make the results even stronger. This could lead to better crime-solving tools in the future.