Implications for DNA interpretation arising from an analysis of Australian forensic databases.

Abstract

Previous analyses of Australian samples have suggested that populations of the same broad racial group (Caucasian, Asian, Aboriginal) tend to be genetically similar across states. This suggests that a single national Australian database for each such group may be feasible, which would greatly facilitate casework. We have investigated samples drawn from each of these groups in different Australian states, and have quantified the genetic homogeneity across states within each racial group in terms of the coancestry coefficient FST. In accord with earlier results, we find that FST values, as estimated from these data, are very small for Caucasians and Asians, usually <0.5%. We find that declared Aborigines (which includes many with partly Aboriginal genetic heritage) are also genetically similar across states, although they display some differentiation from a pure Aboriginal population (almost entirely of Aboriginal genetic heritage).