Gender determination using primary teeth: A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) study

Abstract

Prashant M. Battepati1 and M. Shodan2

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of various environmental factors on the preservation of pulp tissue in primary teeth as a source of DNA and its use for sex determination using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). 120 samples were grouped into 4 groups of 30 teeth each. Group I samples were kept immersed in a bucket of drainage water, group II, III and IV samples were buried in sand taken from seashore, burial ground and desert, respectively for a period of 2 months. Pulp tissue was collected from each sample and DNA was isolated. PCR amplification was performed and sex determination was done by detection of X and Y chromosome-specific alphoid centromeric repeat sequences. In group I, 86% of the samples exhibited correct gender interpretation by PCR amplification. In groups II, III, and IV, all the samples showed correct results indicating a significant difference in scores between group I and the remaining three groups. Teeth stored in dry conditions can serve as a better source of DNA as compared to the teeth stored in moist conditions and co-amplification of both X and Y specific sequences by PCR is a fast, specific, sensitive and reliable method providing sex determination