In Forensic Science casework, identifying the source of a tissue can assist in crime scene reconstruction. Currently, presumptive testing methods to identify tissue type are utilized in crime scene laboratories, but there is a need for a more reliable confirmatory test for tissue type identification. High Resolution Melt (HRM) analysis is an innovative technology that has the potential to determine tissue types through variations in DNA methylation patterns. Recently, DNA methylation patterns have been found to correspond with specific tissue types in particular regions of DNA. Two markers, B_SPTB_03 and DDX4 have been effective in differentiating sperm from other tissue types, and two markers, cg-6379435 and cg-8792630 have been effective in differentiating blood from other tissue types. This study was conducted to examine if HRM analysis could differentiate tissue type based on DNA methylation patterns. For the two sperm markers examined, B_SPTB_03 had a melting temperature of 3.5 higher than the other tissue types tested (skin epithelial, vaginal epithelial, blood, and buccal), and DDX4 had a melting temperature that was 3.0 lower than the other tissue types. In addition, both of the blood markers, cg-06379435 and cg-08792630 were found to have melting temperatures approximately 1.0 higher than the other tissue types. The differentiation in melting temperature depends on three factors: the number of CpG sites available for study, the amount of methylation differences between two tissues, and the % difference in the DNA sequences between two tissue types.
","abstract_html":"<p>In Forensic Science casework, identifying the source of a tissue can assist in crime scene reconstruction. Currently, presumptive testing methods to identify tissue type are utilized in crime scene laboratories, but there is a need for a more reliable confirmatory test for tissue type identification. High Resolution Melt (HRM) analysis is an innovative technology that has the potential to determine tissue types through variations in DNA methylation patterns. Recently, DNA methylation patterns have been found to correspond with specific tissue types in particular regions of DNA. Two markers, B_SPTB_03 and DDX4 have been effective in differentiating sperm from other tissue types, and two markers, cg-6379435 and cg-8792630 have been effective in differentiating blood from other tissue types. This study was conducted to examine if HRM analysis could differentiate tissue type based on DNA methylation patterns. For the two sperm markers examined, B_SPTB_03 had a melting temperature of 3.5 higher than the other tissue types tested (skin epithelial, vaginal epithelial, blood, and buccal), and DDX4 had a melting temperature that was 3.0 lower than the other tissue types. In addition, both of the blood markers, cg-06379435 and cg-08792630 were found to have melting temperatures approximately 1.0 higher than the other tissue types. The differentiation in melting temperature depends on three factors: the number of CpG sites available for study, the amount of methylation differences between two tissues, and the % difference in the DNA sequences between two tissue types.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Ledgerwood, Stephanie M."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Masters Thesis","degree_discipline":"Criminal Justice","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Kuppareddi Balamurugan","Dean Bertram","Shiao Wang"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2015,"date_issued":"2015-12-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2015-12-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:44:34Z","subjects":["HRM","High Resolution Melt Analysis","Methylation Analysis","Tissue Identification","Biology","Forensic Science and Technology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/159","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Kuppareddi Balamurugan","Dean Bertram","Shiao Wang"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Ledgerwood, Stephanie M."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2015-10-14T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Criminal Justice"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["HRM","High Resolution Melt Analysis","Methylation Analysis","Tissue Identification","Biology","Forensic Science and Technology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/159"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["In Forensic Science casework, identifying the source of a tissue can assist in crime scene reconstruction. Currently, presumptive testing methods to identify tissue type are utilized in crime scene laboratories, but there is a need for a more reliable confirmatory test for tissue type identification. High Resolution Melt (HRM) analysis is an innovative technology that has the potential to determine tissue types through variations in DNA methylation patterns. Recently, DNA methylation patterns have been found to correspond with specific tissue types in particular regions of DNA. Two markers, B_SPTB_03 and DDX4 have been effective in differentiating sperm from other tissue types, and two markers, cg-6379435 and cg-8792630 have been effective in differentiating blood from other tissue types. This study was conducted to examine if HRM analysis could differentiate tissue type based on DNA methylation patterns. For the two sperm markers examined, B_SPTB_03 had a melting temperature of 3.5 higher than the other tissue types tested (skin epithelial, vaginal epithelial, blood, and buccal), and DDX4 had a melting temperature that was 3.0 lower than the other tissue types. In addition, both of the blood markers, cg-06379435 and cg-08792630 were found to have melting temperatures approximately 1.0 higher than the other tissue types. The differentiation in melting temperature depends on three factors: the number of CpG sites available for study, the amount of methylation differences between two tissues, and the % difference in the DNA sequences between two tissue types.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["High Resolution Melt Analysis of Samples with Differential DNA Methylation to Identify Tissue Source of Origin"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Kuppareddi Balamurugan","Dean Bertram","Shiao Wang"],"dc:creator":["Ledgerwood, Stephanie M."],"dc:date.available":["2015-10-14T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["In Forensic Science casework, identifying the source of a tissue can assist in crime scene reconstruction. Currently, presumptive testing methods to identify tissue type are utilized in crime scene laboratories, but there is a need for a more reliable confirmatory test for tissue type identification. High Resolution Melt (HRM) analysis is an innovative technology that has the potential to determine tissue types through variations in DNA methylation patterns. Recently, DNA methylation patterns have been found to correspond with specific tissue types in particular regions of DNA. Two markers, B_SPTB_03 and DDX4 have been effective in differentiating sperm from other tissue types, and two markers, cg-6379435 and cg-8792630 have been effective in differentiating blood from other tissue types. This study was conducted to examine if HRM analysis could differentiate tissue type based on DNA methylation patterns. For the two sperm markers examined, B_SPTB_03 had a melting temperature of 3.5 higher than the other tissue types tested (skin epithelial, vaginal epithelial, blood, and buccal), and DDX4 had a melting temperature that was 3.0 lower than the other tissue types. In addition, both of the blood markers, cg-06379435 and cg-08792630 were found to have melting temperatures approximately 1.0 higher than the other tissue types. The differentiation in melting temperature depends on three factors: the number of CpG sites available for study, the amount of methylation differences between two tissues, and the % difference in the DNA sequences between two tissue types.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/159"],"dc:subject":["HRM","High Resolution Melt Analysis","Methylation Analysis","Tissue Identification","Biology","Forensic Science and Technology"],"dc:title":["High Resolution Melt Analysis of Samples with Differential DNA Methylation to Identify Tissue Source of Origin"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Criminal Justice"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:44:34Z"}