Abstract
BACKGROUND: Minangkabau is the majority ethnic group in West Sumatra, Indonesia. West Sumatra is a disaster area, especially earthquakes and the potential for a tsunami. Allele frequency for 21 short tandem repeat locus and genetic variation are not well known. This data is essential for calculating the Paternity Index and Match Probability for forensic identification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was an observational study. We analyze the GlobalFiller STR loci in 25 unrelated individuals from Minangkabau ethnic group. The DNA was extracted using a Prefiller kit and amplified with a Global Filler kit by a GeneAmp PCR System, followed by capillary electrophoresis using ABI Prism 3500 Genetic Analyzer. Data analysis was performed by using Easy DNA and FORSTAT software. RESULTS: We observed 162 alleles with allele frequencies between 0.02 - 0.36. The highest expected heterozygosity and the highest power of discrimination were at the SE33 loci, and the highest match probability was at the D2S441 locus. The Chi-square test showed that all STR loci followed Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p > 0.05). All loci were highly polymorphic (PIC > 0.5). The combined discrimination capacity of each locus in the population was 99,999%. CONCLUSION: The 21 STR loci are useful for forensic analysis and population genetic studies of the Minangkabau population.