Abstract:
Due to the restricted nature of illicit drugs, it is difficult to conduct research surrounding the analysis of this drug material for any potential DNA in sufficient quantities acceptable for high numbers of replicates. Therefore, the current research available in peer reviewed journals thus far regarding analysing illicit drugs for DNA has been performed under varying experimental conditions, often using surrogate chemicals in place of illicit drugs. The data presented within this study originated from the analysis of genuine illicit drugs prepared both in controlled environments and those seized at the Australian border (and therefore from an uncontrolled environment) to determine if DNA can be obtained from this type of material. This study has been separated into three main parts (total n=114 samples): firstly, methamphetamine synthesised within a controlled environment was spiked with both saliva and trace DNA to determine the yield following DNA extraction; secondly, methamphetamine also synthesised in a controlled environment but on a larger scale was tested for the amount of DNA added incidentally throughout the synthesis, including the additional steps of recrystallising, homogenising and \"cutting\" the drug material to simulate preparation for distribution; and thirdly, the detection of human DNA within samples of cocaine and heroin seized at the Australian border. The DNA Fast Flow Microcon Device was utilised to concentrate all replicates from the same source into one combined extract to improve the DNA profiles for the samples where no DNA spiking occurred. Full STR profiles were successfully obtained from drug samples spiked with both saliva and trace DNA. Methamphetamine was present in the final DNA extracts and caused incompatibilities with the quantification of DNA using Qubit. The yields of DNA from drugs not spiked with DNA sources were much lower, resulting in 36 % of samples yielding alleles where all others did not. These results were not unexpected given these were realistic drug samples where the history of the drug material was unknown. This is the first study to obtain DNA profiles from genuine illicit drug material in both controlled and uncontrolled environments and indicates that the analysis of illicit drugs for DNA is an avenue worth pursuing to provide information which can in turn assist with disrupting the supply of these drugs. Given that DNA profiling is carried out worldwide using essentially the same systems as described within this study, the potential for impact is on a national and international scale.
摘要:
由于非法药物的限制性质,难以进行围绕该药物材料的分析的研究,以对大量重复可接受的足够量的任何潜在DNA。因此,到目前为止,同行评审期刊上关于分析非法药物DNA的现有研究是在不同的实验条件下进行的,经常使用替代化学品代替非法药物。这项研究中提供的数据来自对在受控环境中以及在澳大利亚边境(因此从不受控制的环境中)缉获的真正非法药物的分析,以确定是否可以从此类材料中获得DNA。本研究分为三个主要部分(共n=114个样本):首先,在受控环境中合成的甲基苯丙胺掺入唾液和痕量DNA,以确定DNA提取后的产量;其次,甲基苯丙胺也在受控环境中合成,但在整个合成过程中对其附带添加的DNA量进行了更大规模的测试,包括重结晶的额外步骤,均化和“切割”药物材料以模拟分配准备;第三,在澳大利亚边境缉获的可卡因和海洛因样本中检测到人类DNA。利用DNA快速流动Microcon装置将来自相同来源的所有重复物浓缩到一个组合提取物中,以改善没有发生DNA掺入的样品的DNA谱。从加有唾液和痕量DNA的药物样品中成功获得了完整的STR谱。甲基苯丙胺存在于最终的DNA提取物中,并与使用Qubit定量DNA不兼容。没有掺入DNA来源的药物的DNA产量要低得多,导致36%的样本产生等位基因,而其他样本则没有。这些结果并不意外,因为这些是现实的药物样品,其中药物材料的历史是未知的。这是第一项在受控制和不受控制的环境中从真正的非法药物材料中获得DNA图谱的研究,表明对非法药物的DNA分析是一种值得追求的途径,可以提供信息,从而有助于中断这些药物的供应。鉴于DNA分析在全球范围内使用与本研究中描述的基本相同的系统进行,潜在的影响是在国家和国际范围内。