Allele frequency data for 15 autosomal STR loci in eight Indonesian subpopulations

•DNA samples from ∼1800 donors across Indonesia were analysed using the 15 Identifiler® loci.•Significant population sub-structure was identified and quantified.•Island specific allele frequencies and corrections should be used for random match calculations.•These sub-structure correction factors have been determined and are presented here.

Evolutionary and cultural history can affect the genetic characteristics of a population and influences the frequency of different variants at a particular genetic marker (allele frequency). These characteristics directly influence the strength of forensic DNA evidence and make the availability of suitable allele frequency information for every discrete country or jurisdiction highly relevant. Population sub-structure within Indonesia has not been well characterised but should be expected given the complex geographical, linguistic and cultural architecture of the Indonesian population. Here we use forensic short tandem repeat (STR) markers to identify a number of distinct genetic subpopulations within Indonesia and calculate appropriate population sub-structure correction factors. This data represents the most comprehensive investigation of population sub-structure within Indonesia to date using these markers. The results demonstrate that significant sub-structure is present within the Indonesian population and must be accounted for using island specific allele frequencies and corresponding sub-structure correction factors in the calculation of forensic DNA match statistics.