Use of polymerase chain reaction DNA studies in Hungarian legal practice

The authors survey the application of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based DNA polymorphisms in the Hungarian forensic practice. The combined application of the presented 17 PCR-based sequence- or length-polymorphic DNA systems to criminal cases gives the power of individualization to the hand of the forensic scientist. The joint application of these genetic markers to disputed paternity cases enables the verification of paternity for an unexcluded man with the highest legal category, namely "paternity practically proved". The investigation of sex-chromosome linked STRs and/or the analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop region is useful in solving most of the problematic cases. The highlighted advantages of PCR over restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)-based forensic DNA analyses clearly explain the overwhelming spread of PCR-based methods in the Hungarian forensic practice.