Autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) profiling of human skeletal remains

This chapter introduces autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) and their use as the most popular genetic marker for human identification. It explains the characteristics of STR loci that make them suitable for forensic use and lists the core STR loci currently used for DNA profiling. Commercial STR multiplexes and thermal cycling instruments commonly used by forensic laboratories are presented, and the applicability of each for profiling of human skeletal remains is discussed. PCR conditions that can be modified to improve STR profiling results from challenging human skeletal samples are also detailed. Finally, technologies that facilitate high-throughput and/or rapid STR profiling for large-scale identification efforts are explored.