Identification of Species with DNA-Based Technology: Current Progress and Challenges

Abstract

One of the grand challenges of modern biology is to develop accurate and reliable technologies for a rapid screening of DNA sequence variation. This topic of research is of prime importance for the detection and identification of species in numerous fields of investigation, such as taxonomy, epidemiology, forensics, archaeology or ecology. Molecular identification is also central for the diagnosis, treatment and control of infections caused by different pathogens. In recent years, a variety of DNA-based approaches have been developed for the identification of individuals in a myriad of taxonomic groups. Here, we provide an overview of most commonly used assays, with emphasis on those based on DNA hybridizations, restriction enzymes, random PCR amplifications, species-specific PCR primers and DNA sequencing. A critical evaluation of all methods is presented focusing on their discriminatory power, reproducibility and user-friendliness. Having in mind that the current trend is to develop small-scale devices with a high-throughput capacity, we briefly review recent technological achievements for DNA analysis that offer great potentials for the identification of species.

Establishment of a molecular tool for blood meal identification in Malaysia

“…The feature of high copy number makes PCR amplification of mtDNA genes a robust option for analyzing vertebrate DNA in tiny arthropod bloodmeals. Furthermore, the mtDNA cytb gene has an evolutionary rate [5][6][7][8][9][10] times faster than nuclear genome [10] and therefore able to not only resolve broader taxonomic groups but also distinct subpopulations within a specific taxon [26,30] . Amplification yielded a single band in most of the species investigated, as the PCR primers annealed in conservative regions of the cytb gene as in a study by Kocher et al [20] .…”

Identification of Bovine, Pig and Duck Meat Species in Mixtures and in Meat Products on the Basis of the mtDNA Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I (COI) Gene Sequence

“…In spite of the fact that the method using the COI gene enabled the differentiation of even such closely related species as the cow and buffalo or the chicken and turkey, its application may sometimes lead to false results. This may be related to the possibility of incomplete hydrolysis of restriction sites because of the enzymes used for investigations or to the occurrence of mutations in restriction sites within the species under investigation [Pereira et al, 2008;Ballin et al, 2009;Gil, 2007].…”

Detection of Animal Species in Some Meat and Meat Products by Comparatively Using DNA Microarray and Real Time PCR Methods

“…It has also opened up new challenges for food analysis of adulteration in seafoods, meat and meat products [48][49][50][51] . Nowadays, DNA based molecular techniques are preferred in many disciplines like taxonomy, epidemiology, forensic, archeology, environmental sciences and food science 30, [52][53][54][55] . The conventional methods of molecular biology including PCR and RNA blotting do usually examine only one gene in a reaction resulting in poor understanding of the whole of the picture of gene functions 56 whereas DNA Microarray makes possible the whole genome to be displayed on a chip and to express the interaction of thousands of genes with each other simultaneously [56][57][58][59][60] .…”