Pollen is everywhere, but certain types of pollen are found only in specific locations and times. This makes pollen and excellent biomarker in criminal and civil investigation. The analysis of pollen for this purpose is called forensic palynology. Forensic palynology, traditionally painstakingly preformed by a highly trained expert equipped with a microscope, may use genetic analysis in the near future.
While DNA barcoding in the past has been ineffective in identifying land plants headway has been made in finding suitable markers. Two genes, matK and rbcL, are the start of a usable system for identification. This in combination with Next Generation Sequencing, NGS, allows for metabarcoding, identification of multiple species at the same time, of pollen and spores an essential process for genetic analysis of pollen to be integrated in forensic palynology.
With these and future advancements, such as a larger reference database for species identification and location and additional complementary markers, genetic analysis should make its way into forensic palynology.
-Olaf B. Corning
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Making-a-difference/Change-Agent/2016/0923/How-pollen-could-be-the-next-big-thing-in-forensic-investigations
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187249731530106X
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