Sex identification of northern ungulates using low quality and quantity DNA

摘要: We evaluated PCR primer sets to determine the most effective technique for identifying sex of northern ungulates. sought markers that required only a single pair primers amplify both X- and Y-linked alleles; amplified products were easily distinguishable using agarose gel electrophoresis; produced short amplicons amenable amplification DNA poor quality low quantity, as is often found in non-invasively collected samples such feces. Primer pairs KY1/KY2 SE47/SE48, which Y-specific alleles amelogenin gene, met our criteria tested moose (Alces alces), mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus), Sitka black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis), caribou (Rangifer tarandus). KY shorter than did SE primers; moreover, inconsistently certain Y-chromosome products, creating potential misidentification sex. fragments sequenced each species, allowing us characterize 45-bp deletion (136-bp product) relative X-linked (181-bp all species 9-bp allele other species. This first sex-determination reported several ungulate Alaska. Although protocols exist cervids bovids, this report meeting aforementioned Odocoileus, abundant intensively managed genus large mammals North America.