Diagnostic Cytochrome b gene profiles for the identification of paca (Cuniculus paca) bushmeat: implications for the monitoring of illegal hunting and wildlife trade

Abstract

Paca (Cuniculus paca Linnaeus, 1766) is the second largest rodent found in Brazil. The quality of the meat and a long tradition of hunting have contributed to the decline of the natural populations of this species. Hunting of paca is strictly prohibited in Brazil, but in spite of this restriction, no forensic tools are available for the identification of the meat. We describe an efficient method, based on single nucleotide polymorphisms of the cytochrome b gene, that can be used to differentiate biological material derived from paca from those of domestic species commonly used as sources of meat. The identification of the presence of C. paca in the samples was 100% reliable.Keywords: forensic science, Cytochrome b, wild rodent, molecular markers. Perfis diagnósticos do gene Citocromo b para a identificação molecular de paca (Cuniculus paca): implicações para a detecção e monitoramento de caça e comércio ilegalResumo Paca (Cuniculus paca Linnaeus, 1766) é o segundo maior roedor brasileiro. A qualidade da carne e a forte tradição da caça de subsistência são fatores que contribuem significativamente para o declínio das populações. Apesar da proibição a caça no Brasil, no momento ainda não há ferramentas disponíveis para identificar a carne e seus produtos como prova forense. Neste trabalho propomos um método eficaz de identificação, baseado em polimorfismos de único nucleotídeo no gene Citocromo b, objetivando diferenciar material biológico de paca das espécies domésticas comumente utilizadas como alimento no Brasil. A identificação das amostras de paca foram possíveis em 100% das amostras analisadas.Palavras-chave: ciência forense, Citocromo b, roedor selvagem, marcador molecular.

The phylogenetics of Leucocytozoon caulleryi infecting broiler chickens in endemic areas in Indonesia

“…cyt b gene is one of the genes located in the mitochondrial genome that is widely used for molecular analyses. cyt b gene possesses fast and slow developments of codon positions which have conservative parts and ever-changing parts [ 11 ].…”

Optimization of polymerase chain reaction for the identification of Roe deer, Saiga, and Siberian stag living in Kazakhstan

“…Using the Cyt b gene and direct PCR, a rare paka animal was identified in the illegal meat trade. The method based on a single-nucleotide substitution of the Cyt b gene proved effective and differentiated paka meat with 100% certainty [14]. The presented results demonstrate the usefulness of PCR analysis based on primers for the Cyt b gene in the authentication of meat and meat products in the laboratory.…”

“…These markers are not only reliable and sensitive but also relatively inexpensive. Using the SNP fragment of the D-loop gene of mitochondrial DNA effectively identified 10 wild African animal species that were affected by illegal hunting [14]. The cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene is widely used to identify vertebrate species.…”

Wild Animals Used as Food Source in the Region of the Serra do Conduru State Park – PESC, Bahia, Brazil

“…Hunted species make up part of the diet of rural populations and urban areas in various tropical regions [8][9][10][11] and are among the main sources of animal protein for traditional communities at different locations [12][13][14][15]. However, although hunting is responsible for supplementing the diet of various traditional populations [16,17], the demand for game meat in the tropical region has been putting pressure on wild species, making it di cult to recover their numbers [18][19][20][21][22][23].…”