The study examines the challenges of genetic analysis in highly incinerated or degraded human skeletal remains, which is critical for identifying victims of mass disasters. Previous research on the effects of thermal degradation on whole-genome single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) quality has been limited. This research utilized two DNA extraction techniques to analyze samples from the bones and teeth of 27 fire victims and employed a novel method of enriching for whole-genome SNPs. The sequencing was performed on an Illumina NextSeq 550 platform.

Analysis revealed that the preservation and variability of SNPs were largely influenced by the type of skeletal element and the burn category rather than the extraction technique used. Specifically, long bones, hand and foot bones, and teeth subjected to temperatures below 350°C yielded higher genomic DNA. Conversely, samples exposed to temperatures above 350°C demonstrated a significant decrease in the number of captured SNPs. The findings support the use of a modified Dabney extraction technique for better DNA yield when traditional methods fall short in forensic applications, highlighting the importance of sample selection for maximizing genetic data recovery.

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