Research progress on the integrated detection technology for forensic deoxyribonucleic acid genetic markers and ribonucleic acid molecular markers

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) genetic markers and ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecular markers have been widely used in forensic practices including individual identification, parentage testing, body fluid identification, determination of the age of stains, and molecular pathological diagnosis. Variant information of biological evidence and their interrelation could be revealed by the integrated detection of DNA/RNA markers. The integrated detection workflow aims to simplify working procedures, reduce time consuming and save valuable samples collected from crime scenes. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) may be an effective method for integrated DNA/RNA detection. In this review, DNA/RNA co-extraction strategies, simultaneous detection methods based on capillary electrophoresis were summarized. Research on NGS-based integrated detection methods of DNA and RNA markers was reviewed to provide a reference for forensic medicine researches and applications.