High-throughput real-time PCR and melt curve analysis for sexing Southern Ocean seabirds using fecal samples
Sex identification of birds is of great interest in ecological studies, however this can be very difficult in many species because their external features are almost monomorphic between the sexes. Molecular methodology has simplified this process but limitations still occur with widely accepted methods using polymerase chain reaction and gel electrophoresis, especially when applied to degraded DNA. Real-time polymerase chain reaction assays are emerging as a more efficient, sensitive, and higher throughput means of identification, but there are very few techniques validated using fecal samples and small target sizes. We present a real-time melt curve analysis assay targeting a small region of the CHD-1 gene allowing for high-throughput, sensitive, specific, and easy-to-interpret sexing results for a variety of Southern Ocean seabirds using fecal and tissue samples.
History
Publication title
TheriogenologyVolume
81Issue
6Pagination
870-874ISSN
0093-691XDepartment/School
Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesPublisher
Elsevier Science IncPlace of publication
360 Park Ave South, New York, USA, Ny, 10010-1710Rights statement
Copyright 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. Open access under CC BY-NC-SA license. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/)Repository Status
- Open