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Development of novel real‐time T aq M an ® PCR assays for the species and sex identification of otter ( L utra lutra ) and their application to noninvasive genetic monitoring
Author(s) -
O'Neill David,
Turner Peter D.,
O'Meara Denise B.,
Chadwick Elizabeth A.,
Coffey Lee,
O'Reilly Catherine
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
molecular ecology resources
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.96
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1755-0998
pISSN - 1755-098X
DOI - 10.1111/1755-0998.12141
Subject(s) - lutra , otter , biology , microsatellite , genotyping , polymerase chain reaction , identification (biology) , real time polymerase chain reaction , computational biology , microbiology and biotechnology , genotype , genetics , ecology , gene , allele
Developing strategies to maintain biodiversity requires baseline information on the current status of each individual species. The development of genetic techniques and their application to noninvasively collected samples have the potential to yield information on the structure of elusive animal populations and so are important tools in conservation management. Using DNA isolated from faecal samples can be challenging owing to low quantity and quality. This study, however, presents the development of novel real‐time polymerase chain reaction assays using fluorescently labelled T aq M an ® MGB probes enabling species and sex identification of E urasian otter ( L utra lutra ) spraints (faeces). These assays can also be used in determining an optimum microsatellite panel and can be employed as cost‐saving screening tools for downstream genetic testing including microsatellite genotyping and haplotype analysis. The techniques are shown to work efficiently with L . lutra DNA isolated from tissue, hair, spraint, blood and anal jelly samples.