STR Analysis of Human DNA Samples After Dry-State Ambient Temperature Storage in GenPlates

Dry-state room temperature storage of DNA is of interest because it promises to be a relatively more cost effective and environmentally friendly method for transport and storage of DNA. However, this approach must be validated prior to large scale adoption by the scientist that currently store blood samples frozen. In this study, we compared the yield of DNA isolated from GenPlates™ to that from frozen blood, and verified the quality of the DNA by evaluating the success of genotyping and allelic assignment using the PowerPlex 16 system. Using 24 blood specimens from 6 human subjects, we determined that DNA yield from GenPlates™ a 96 well microtitre plate based product for transport and storage of DNA in the dry-state and at ambient temperature was 4.9% more than the yield from frozen blood after 16 months storage. The STR profiles from GenPlates™ DNA displayed 100% concordance with the profile from DNA isolated from frozen blood. Our results demonstrate that yield and PowerPlex 16 STR profile of DNA after dry-state ambient temperature storage in GenPlates™ for 16 months are comparable to DNA from frozen blood and 100% allelic assignment was achieved using 1 ng of DNA isolated from GenPlates™.