Full siblings impersonating parent/child prove most difficult to discredit with DNA profiling alone

Transfusion. 2004 Oct;44(10):1513-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2004.04092.x.

Abstract

DNA profiling is currently the most widely used method for parentage verification, although many forms of it have limitations of some sort. In this paper, a general formula is derived to depict a simple relationship between the probability that a random man and the probably that a male relative of the child, other than the child's father, is excluded from paternity, when the phenotype of the child's mother is unavailable. With this, the possible limitations of a finite set of STR loci in excluding close relatives of the child from paternity are illustrated. Genetically, among the commonly encountered biologic relationships, to exclude a full sibling of the child from paternity if they pose themselves as father and child remains the most difficult.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • China
  • DNA Fingerprinting*
  • Humans
  • Models, Genetic*
  • Nuclear Family
  • Parents
  • Paternity*
  • Siblings