A factorial design experiment as a pilot study for noninvasive genetic sampling

Noninvasive genetic sampling has increasingly been used in ecological and conservation studies during the last decade. A major part of the noninvasive genetic literature is dedicated to the search for optimal protocols, by comparing different methods of collection, preservation and extraction of DNA from noninvasive materials. However, the lack of quantitative comparisons among these studies and the possibility that different methods are optimal for different systems make it difficult to decide which protocol to use. Moreover, most studies that have compared different methods focused on a single factor – collection, preservation or extraction – while there could be interactions between these factors. We designed a factorial experiment, as a pilot study, aimed at exploring the effect of several collection, preservation and extraction methods, and the interactions between them, on the quality and amplification success of DNA obtained from Asiatic wild ass (Equus hemionus) faeces in Israel. The amplification success rates of one mitochondrial DNA and four microsatellite markers differed substantially as a function of collection, preservation and extraction methods and their interactions. The most efficient combination for our system integrated the use of swabs as a collection method with preservation at ?20 °C and with the Qiagen DNA Stool Kit with modifications as the DNA extraction method. The significant interaction found between the collection, preservation methods and the extraction methods reinforces the importance of conducting a factorial design experiment, rather than examining each factor separately, as a pilot study before initiating a full‐scale noninvasive research project.     

一种简便快速的单引物PCR定点突变方法

为了解决在一些特殊位点上利用Quick Change方法进行定点突变时会在突变位点处额外插入引物序列导致突变失败的问题,对Quick Change法进行了改良。改良方法为:合成在突变位点处点突变的一对反向互补引物,分别进行单引物PCR扩增,将两种扩增产物混合,变性复性后加入Dpn I进行酶切,酶切产物转化大肠杆菌DH5α,抗性筛选阳性克隆进行测序验证。利用此法成功突变紫穗槐二烯合酶(amorpha-4,11-diene synthase,ADS)基因中多个利用常规方法突变均因引入额外引物而无法成功的特殊位点,证明此方法实践上可行,而且也可以避免插入额外引物序列,这也从侧面证明额外引物插入的原因是双引物同时反应。     

Characterization of six microsatellite primers for the grey fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)

We describe polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers and conditions to amplify one dinucleotide and five tetranucleotide microsatellite DNA loci isolated from the grey fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). The PCR primers were tested on nine to 12 individuals collected from the Department of Energy's Savannah River site (Aiken, SC, USA). The grey fox microsatellite primers developed had three to 10 alleles per locus that yielded observed heterozygosities ranging from 0.222 to 0.889.     

Polymorphic microsatellites in white rhinoceros

The southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) has suffered severe reductions in population size over the last 150 years as a result of overhunting. We optimized 10 southern white rhinoceros microsatellite loci and tested them on 30 individuals from the largest remaining population of this species. Five of the 10 loci were polymorphic with mean expected heterozygosity of 0.578, mean polymorphic information content of 0.481 and mean number of alleles 2.8. Although these data suggest low genetic variability in C. s. simum, an accurate comparison of variability awaits results of ongoing broad‐scale microsatellite surveys in this family.