2-conservation genetics

Autosomal DNA profiling in animals

• Costly to design, build & validate species = specific DNA profiling kits

• Not available for most species

Mitochondrial DNA is a useful tool in animal forensics

• H-strand = non-coding segment ~1.2kb

• Highest mtDNA = in the control region

• No gaps/introns

• High mutation rate

• Single nucleotide variation

  • Good do discriminate between individuals but not individually identifying

What can genetics offer

• Definition/identification of species

• Measure of genetic diversity and species dynamics/demography

• Understanding of species life histories

• Managing captive populations

• Managing reintroductions to the wild

Need to avoid outbreeding depression

• If an population is adapted to a different environment , hybrids may be less fit than either starting populations

  • In later generations alleles are no longer paired with alleles of the same source population = loss of co-adapted gene complexes —> reduced fitnesses

• Genomics can help here by identifying parts of the genome that contain allele frequency outliers

What makes an ideal barcode

• Nearly identical within a species but different between species

• Standardised - same barcode used for different taxonomic groups

• should obtain enough phylogenetic info to assign unknown species to taxonomic groups should

DNA barcoding processes

1. Isolate DNA from sample

2. Amplify target DNA region via PCR

3. Sequence PCR products

4. Seek matching species in reference databases

Mitochondrial COX1 gene barcoding for animals

• Encodes part of the oxidative phosphorylation system - ATP synthesis

• Mutation rate = 10x nuclear DNA

• Good to discriminate between species not between individuals

• Typically sequence a 650bp segment

  • Sequence is analysed

  • Variability between species