DNAprint Genomics (DNAG)

[mingwan0]

DNA Witness relevance to Malaysia?

A couple of times we have seen references to forensics on the DNA Phenomics website and on the University website of the new CSO Dr Aziz. Irrespective of the DNAP/DNA Phenomics issue, people might wonder what possible relevance DNA Witness (especially the Ancestry component) could have in Malaysia. After all, aren't most people there Malaysian?

Malaysia is actually one of the most heterogenous populations anywhere in the world. There are about 22 million people. Most population classifications state that there are three main ethnic groups: Malay, Chinese, and Indian. Malays are roughly 60% of the population, Chinese roughly 30%, and Indians roughly 10%. There are several other minority ethnic groups including: Eurasians, Europeans, Arabs, Indonesians, Filipinos, and Pakistanis. There is also a very diverse group of more than 50 types of indigenous peoples from Sabah and Sarawak including the Kadazan, Dusun, Murut, Iban, Orang Ulu, Melanau, Bidayuh, Penan, Orang Asli, Bajau, Rungus, Lotud, Orang Sungei, Kadayan, and Bisaya.

So it would appear that a product like DNA Witness that was capable of differentiating between (at least) the main ethnic groups in Malaysia would be of some use to the Malaysian Police.

I can see very little in the literature about DNA analysis of different ethnic groups in Malaysia. One example concerned with analysis of 9 STR loci is:

Short Tandem Repeat (STR) Data for the AmpFlSTRâ Profiler Loci of Samples from the Malay Population in Malaysia. Forensic Science Communications April 2002, Volume 4, Number 2. Lim Kong Boon, Primulapathi Jaya, Mohd Izuan Othman, N. Hithaya Jeevan, Kee Sue Sing, and Lee Yoon Hin.

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/april2002/lim.htm

However, there has been some work undertaken on SNPs related to e.g. the CYP2D6 and MDR1 genes in Malaysian ethnic groups:

Ismail R, Teh LK, Amir J, Alwi Z, Lopez CG. Genetic polymorphism of CYP2D6 in Chinese subjects in Malaysia. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2003 Aug;28(4):279-84.

Ismail R, Teh LK. Genetic polymorphism of CYP2D6: Malaysian Indians have the highest frequency for CYP2D6*4 in Asia. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2001 Oct;57(8):617-8.

Teh LK, Ismail R, Yusoff R, Hussein A, Isa MN, Rahman AR. Heterogeneity of the CYP2D6 gene among Malays in Malaysia. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2001 Jun;26(3):205-11.

Tang K, Ngoi SM, Gwee PC, Chua JM, Lee EJ, Chong SS, Lee CG. Distinct haplotype profiles and strong linkage disequilibrium at the MDR1 multidrug transporter gene locus in three ethnic Asian populations. Pharmacogenetics. 2002 Aug;12(6):437-50.

People like Mark Stoneking at PSU have worked in this area in the past:

http://www.promega.com/geneticidproc/ussymp6proc/melton.htm

I also previously highlighted some relevant research in Malaysia:

BIOVALLEY UKM Genomics Laboratory is the interim laboratory of the National Institute for Genomics and Molecular Biology. One of it's approved projects is "Analysis of the Human Genomic Diversity in the Malaysian Population for Potential Medical and Forensic Application" which is described here:

http://202.185.32.213/genomicslab/content/approve_project.php

Human Genome Diversity: Analysis of the Human Genomic Diversity in the Malaysian Population for Potential Medical and Forensic Application

Malaysia is blessed with a multiracial population that offers diversity at the human genomes, both nuclear and mitochondrial. These diverse genomes have been under investigation since 1993 with the view of establishing the genotype and allele frequencies at a number of highly variable loci, in order to use them to identify individuals in forensic investigations and parentage testing. To extend the expertise and to improve capability and capacity in genome-scale analysis of the diverse human genomes of ethnic and indigenous groups in Malaysia, this project aims to investigate human genomic variations of medical and evolutionary importance using standard and advanced technologies for disease and forensic applications. Data obtained from the study will contribute to the understanding of SNPs involvement in diseases and their application in forensic science.

This is the project in a bit more detail:

http://www.nbbnet.gov.my/research%20project/exe%20summary/DrKoh.htm

Dr Koh Chong Lek is the main researcher:

http://www.um.edu.my/FS/StaffDetail.asp?SCode=200

And of course there is another connection:

http://www.a-imbn.org/organizational_structure.htm

Program Committee includes "Koh Chong-Lek, Prof. & Coordinator of Genetics & Molecular Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Malaya, Malaysia"

Dr. Gurinder Shahi
Executive Director/Coordinator