MiSeq FGx sequencing system: A new platform for forensic genetics

Next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies are going to play a major role in forensic genomics in thenext few years. A new NGS platform, the MiSeq FGxTM Forensic Genomics System (Illumina Inc., SanDiego) was launched in January 2015 as thefirst fully validated sequencing system specifically designedfor forensic genomics applications. This new system allows simultaneous, high resolution sequencing of152 identity informative markers (including 27 autosomal STRs, 7 X-chromosomal, 24 Y-chromosomalhaplotype markers and 94 SNPs) plus 56 ancestry and 22 phenotypic informative SNPs.In order to assess theflexibility of MiSeq FGxTM Forensic Genomics System for STR genotyping, aconcordance study on samples previously typed using the ABI 3130 Genetic Analyzer with GeneMapperID-X v1.2 software was performed. Results were compared for 22 autosomal and 27 gonosomal STRspreviously analysed and subsequently sequenced using the Forenseq DNA Signature Prep kit andanalyzed with the Forenseq Universal Analysis software. Here we present the results of a preliminarystudy within our laboratory and discuss the likely expectation that the MiSeq FGxTM Sequencing Systemtechnology could provide more powerful analytical tools for the forensic genomicsfield.