Argus X-12 QS
Definition
Investigator Argus X-12 QS (Qiagen), the most widely validated commercial X-STR multiplex kit. Amplifies 12 loci in four linkage groups; used with Familias software for kinship LR calculation.
- Manufacturer
- Qiagen
- Loci amplified
- 12, in four linkage groups
- Marker type
- X-STR multiplex
- Paired software
- Familias, for kinship LR calculation
Common questions
Why use an X-STR kit like Argus X-12 QS instead of standard autosomal STR kits?+
X-chromosome markers follow distinct inheritance patterns between fathers, mothers, and offspring that make them especially informative for complex kinship questions, such as distinguishing half-sisters from full sisters, where autosomal markers alone give weaker discrimination.
What does the four linkage-group structure of Argus X-12 QS mean for interpretation?+
Loci within the same linkage group are physically close on the X chromosome and tend to be inherited together, so analysts must treat them as linked rather than independent when calculating likelihood ratios, while loci in different groups can generally be treated as independent.
Related terms
- PowerPlex Y23
- Commercial Y-STR multiplex kit (Promega Corporation) amplifying 23 loci, overlapping substantially with Yfiler Plus. The 20-locus YHRD core set is covered by...
- X-STR Linkage Group
- A cluster of X-STR loci that are physically linked on the X chromosome and transmitted as a haplotype block in females. Loci...
- Y-STR Haplotype
- The combination of allele values across all Y-chromosome STR loci typed in a single analysis. Reported as a string of allele values...
- Yfiler Plus
- Commercial Y-STR multiplex kit (ThermoFisher Scientific) amplifying 27 loci in a single PCR reaction. Current standard for Y-STR casework in many US,...
- YHRD
- Y-Chromosome STR Haplotype Reference Database, maintained at the Charité Berlin and freely accessible at yhrd.org. Contains over 340,000 haplotypes from 124 countries....