Development of Y-SNP typing assay for forensic application in Venezuelan population

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms of Y-chromosome (Y-SNPs) are genetic markers that can display regional specificity, thus providing useful information about the geographic origin of a subject or evidence under investigation. In this study, we developed 2 multiplex PCRs to analyze 12 SNPs (M2, M3, M9, M35, M45, M96, M170, M174, M201, M207, M304, P25), which occur in basal branches or specific subclades of the Y-chromosome phylogenetic tree and allows the assignation of a subject haplotype to the most frequent Venezuelan haplogroups. We used SNaPshot minisequencing methodology for SNP typing. Our assay proved to be appropriated for assessing the most frequent haplogroups in Venezuela, and it could be useful to solve problems in the forensic casework.