Oberacher,H.; Pitterl,F.; Erb,R.; Plattner,S.; Electrochemistry (EC) is a mature scientific discipline aimed to study the movement of electrons in an oxidation-reduction reaction. EC covers techniques that use a measurement of potential, charge, or current to determine the concentration or the chemical reactivity of analytes. The electrical signal is directly converted into chemical information. For in-depth characterization of complex electrochemical reactions involving the formation of diverse intermediates, products and byproducts, EC is usually combined with other analytical techniques, and particularly the hyphenation of EC with mass spectrometry (MS) has found broad applicability. [Read More]

Parson,W.; Huber,G.; Moreno,L.; Madel,M.B.; Brandhagen,M.D.; Nagl,S.; Xavier,C.; Eduardoff,M.; Callaghan,T.C.; Irwin,J.A.; Though shed hairs are one of the most commonly encountered evidence types, they are among the most limited in terms of DNA quantity and quality. As a result, DNA testing has historically focused on the recovery of just about 600 base pairs of the mitochondrial DNA control region. Here, we describe our success in recovering complete mitochondrial genome (mtGenome) data (similar to 16,569 bp) from single shed hairs. [Read More]

Oberacher,H.; Erb,R.; Plattner,S.; Chervet,J.P.; Oxidation reactions play a major role in the modification of nucleobases in DNA and RNA. Enzymatic oxidation reactions are involved in the control of epigenetic signaling as part of DNA-demethylation pathways. Oxidative stress gives rise to non-enzymatic oxidation. Many different oxidative DNA modifications have been identified. The cellular responses to such oxidative damage involve several processes, such as DNA repair, cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. Persistent DNA damage may result in genomic instability, which is considered to play a role in the development of cardiovascular and neurological diseases, aging and cancer. [Read More]

Just,R.S.; Irwin,J.A.; Parson,W.; Long an important and useful tool in forensic genetic investigations, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) typing continues to mature. Research in the last few years has demonstrated both that data from the entire molecule will have practical benefits in forensic DNA casework, and that massively parallel sequencing (MPS) methods will make full mitochondrial genome (mtGenome) sequencing of forensic specimens feasible and cost-effective. A spate of recent studies has employed these new technologies to assess intraindividual mtDNA variation. [Read More]

Parson,W.; Berger,C.; Sanger,T.; Lutz-Bonengel,S.; The “Dark Counts” were a mysterious couple that appeared in the Thuringian village Eishausen in 1807. After living in self imposed solitude for 30 years the woman died and was buried under the name Sophia Botta. Her companion, who presented himself as Vavel de Versay, died in 1845 and was later identified as Leonardus Cornelius van der Valck, secretary of the Dutch embassy in Paris. Their lifestyle led to speculations that she was the true princess Marie Therese Charlotte of France, daughter of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. [Read More]