Hindering the illegal trade in dog and cat furs through a DNA-based protocol for species identification.

摘要: In Western countries dogs and cats are the most popular pets, people increasingly opposed to their rearing for fur industry. 2007, a Regulation of European Union (EU) banned use trade dog cat furs, but an official analytical protocol identify them as source species was not provided, violations law still frequent in all Member States. this paper we report on development validation simple affordable DNA method detection furs effective tool combat illegal products. A set mitochondrial primers designed amplification partial cytochrome b, control region ND1 gene highly degraded samples, like pelts. Our workflow involved non-specific primer pair perform first test through sequencing, then application species-specific pairs singleplex end-point PCRs confirmation tests. The advantage two-step procedure is twofold: one hand it minimises possibility negative results from since failure with can be offset by successful second, other adds confidence reliability final authentication species. All were validated reference collection tissue obtaining solid terms specificity, sensitivity, repeatability reproducibility. Application real caseworks seized yielded also old dyed suggesting that age chemical staining do necessarily affect positive amplifications. Major pros approach are: (1) sensitive informative sets species; (2) short PCR amplicons analysis poor quality DNA; (3) binding avoid contamination human (4) user-friendly any laboratory equipped low-copy-number DNA. molecular proved good starting point enforcing EU against forensic contexts where attribution essential assignment responsibilities.