IMPLEMENTING LEVENSHTEIN EDIT DISTANCE ALGORITHM IN DNA PROFILES DIRECT MATCHING

Abstract

Matching DNA profiles differs from matching DNA sequences: a crucial distinction in forensic analysis. DNA laboratories rely heavily on comparing profiles for individual identification, with tools like the CODIS international database. While some countries may not use those systems due to ethical concerns, local or regional labs might develop their own databases or DNA profile matching tools. This study introduces a new technique for direct profile matching using the Levenshtein edit distance algorithm, which eliminates the need for a DNA database. The research utilized PROVEDIt STR multiplexes Identifiler® profiles, amplifying 15 loci along with the gender-determining Amelogenin locus, totaling 16 loci. By converting a suspect’s complete profile to a partial one from a crime scene, the experiment compared each pair of loci following traditional forensic decision rules, and employed the Levenshtein edit distance algorithm for pairwise matching. The algorithm displayed 100% precision, recall, F1-score, and ROC/AUC, indicating perfect performance. This is a reliable method for direct DNA profile matching, independent of a database, with potential integration into future AI-driven forensic work.