{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,11]],"date-time":"2026-08-11T03:39:32Z","timestamp":1786419572214,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":21,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,28]],"date-time":"2025-07-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1753660800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Genes"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Advancements in DNA profiling have made it possible to retrieve intact DNA profiles from increasingly minute biological samples. This increased sensitivity in DNA detection has highlighted crucial considerations to be made when handling and packing items from the crime scene to minimize potential contamination from either direct or indirect transfer of DNA. To investigate potential DNA transfer between items stored within the same evidence package, we conducted a simulation study with items commonly encountered during forensic casework. Methods: Participants were grouped in pairs, each of them handling the same type of item to simulate the activity conducted at the crime scene. The items were then collected from each pair of participants and stored in the same evidence package for 4 to 5 days. To evaluate the basal DNA transfer between items within the same package, the packed items were not subjected to friction, force, or long-distance movement in this study. Results: We have observed the occurrence of DNA transfer on 39% of the studied items inside the package, which changed the source attribution of the DNA profiles for 10% of the recovered samples. Our results showed that the types of items were associated with the number of transferred alleles and the amount of DNA recovered, while no association was found between the number of transferred alleles and the amount of DNA on the studied items. Conclusions: Taken together, the results from this study reiterate the importance of packing each item from the crime scene separately, especially when packing items together may impact the interpretation of source attribution.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/genes16080894","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,28]],"date-time":"2025-07-28T14:50:03Z","timestamp":1753714203000},"page":"894","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["DNA Transfer Between Items Within an Evidence Package"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5561-0274","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yong Sheng","family":"Lee","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"DNA Profiling Laboratory, Biology Division, Health Sciences Authority, 3 Biopolis Drive, Synapse, 03-14\/15, Singapore 138623, Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0245-7103","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Christopher Kiu-Choong","family":"Syn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"DNA Profiling Laboratory, Biology Division, Health Sciences Authority, 3 Biopolis Drive, Synapse, 03-14\/15, Singapore 138623, Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"181","DOI":"10.1007\/s004140050063","article-title":"DNA typing of epithelial cells after strangulation","volume":"110","author":"Wiegand","year":"1997","journal-title":"Int. J. Legal Med."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13","DOI":"10.1111\/1523-1747.ep12514568","article-title":"The determination of regional and age variations in the rate of desquamation: A comparison of four techniques","volume":"74","author":"Roberts","year":"1980","journal-title":"J. Investig. Dermatol."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"767","DOI":"10.1038\/42838","article-title":"DNA fingerprints from fingerprints","volume":"387","author":"Jones","year":"1997","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"516","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1469-7580.2009.01066.x","article-title":"Structure and functions of keratin proteins in simple, stratified, keratinized and cornified epithelia","volume":"214","author":"Bragulla","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Anat."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"434","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fsigen.2013.03.013","article-title":"DNA transfer: Review and implications for casework","volume":"7","author":"Meakin","year":"2013","journal-title":"Forensic Sci. Int. Genet."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"158","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fsigen.2011.03.013","article-title":"DNA transfer within forensic exhibit packaging: Potential for DNA loss and relocation","volume":"6","author":"Goray","year":"2012","journal-title":"Forensic Sci. Int. Genet."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"303","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fsigss.2022.10.070","article-title":"DNA transfer in packaging: Attention required","volume":"8","author":"Stella","year":"2022","journal-title":"Forensic Sci. Int. Genet. Suppl. Ser."},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"Promega Corporation. DNA IQTM Casework Pro Kit for Maxwell\u00ae 16 Technical Manual Part# TM332, Revised 11\/11."},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"Promega Corporation. Maxwell\u00ae FSC Instrument Operating Manual TM462 Revised 8\/17."},{"key":"ref_10","unstructured":"Applied Biosystems. QuantStudio\u2122 6\/7 Flex Real Time PCR System, Getting Started Guide, Rev A, 2013."},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"Applied Biosystems. Quantifiler\u2122 HP and Trio DNA Quantification Kits, User Guide, 2017."},{"key":"ref_12","unstructured":"Applied Biosystems. GlobalFiler\u2122 PCR Amplification Kit, User Guide, July 2016."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fsigen.2017.01.006","article-title":"Transfer and persistence of DNA on the hands and the influence of activities performed","volume":"28","author":"Szkuta","year":"2017","journal-title":"Forensic Sci. Int. Genet."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102457","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fsigen.2020.102457","article-title":"Indirect DNA transfer without contact from dried biological materials on various surfaces","volume":"51","author":"Thornbury","year":"2021","journal-title":"Forensic Sci. Int. Genet."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1016\/j.legalmed.2010.01.003","article-title":"Investigation of secondary DNA transfer of skin cells under controlled test conditions","volume":"12","author":"Goray","year":"2010","journal-title":"Leg. Med."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fsigen.2015.11.005","article-title":"Sequence variation of 22 autosomal STR loci detected by next generation sequencing","volume":"21","author":"Gettings","year":"2016","journal-title":"Forensic Sci. Int. Genet."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"810","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fsigen.2012.03.004","article-title":"Forensic STR analysis using massive parallel sequencing","volume":"6","author":"Neste","year":"2012","journal-title":"Forensic Sci. Int. Genet."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"62","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fsigen.2009.05.001","article-title":"Secondary DNA transfer of biological substances under varying test conditions","volume":"4","author":"Goray","year":"2010","journal-title":"Forensic Sci. Int. Genet."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"van Oorschot, R.A.H., Meakin, G.E., Kokshoorn, B., Goray, M., and Szkuta, B. (2024). DNA Transfer in Forensic Science: Recent Progress towards Meeting Challenges. Genes, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/genes12111766"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103101","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fsigen.2024.103101","article-title":"Where did it go? A study of DNA transfer in a social setting","volume":"73","author":"Cahill","year":"2024","journal-title":"Forensic Sci. Int. Genet."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103122","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fsigen.2024.103122","article-title":"Accounting for site-to-site DNA transfer on a packaged exhibit in an evaluation given activity level propositions","volume":"73","author":"Taylor","year":"2024","journal-title":"Forensic Sci. Int. Genet."}],"container-title":["Genes"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2073-4425\/16\/8\/894\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T18:17:14Z","timestamp":1760033834000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2073-4425\/16\/8\/894"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,28]]},"references-count":21,"journal-issue":{"issue":"8","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8]]}},"alternative-id":["genes16080894"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/genes16080894","relation":{},"ISSN":["2073-4425"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2073-4425","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,28]]}}}