DNA marker technology for wildlife conservation

Abstract

Use of molecular markers for identification of protected species offers a greater promise in the field of conservation biology. The information on genetic diversity of wildlife is necessary to ascertain the genetically deteriorated populations so that better management plans can be established for their conservation. Accurate classification of these threatened species allows understanding of the species biology and identification of distinct populations that should be managed with utmost care. Molecular markers are versatile tools for identification of populations with genetic crisis by comparing genetic diversities that in turn helps to resolve taxonomic uncertainties and to establish management units within species. The genetic marker analysis also provides sensitive and useful tools for prevention of illegal hunting and poaching and for more effective implementation of the laws for protection of the endangered species. This review summarizes various tools of DNA markers technology for application in molecular diversity analysis with special emphasis on wildlife conservation.

Forensic Wildlife Parts and their Product Identification and Individualization Using DNA Barcoding

“…There is no requirement for any prior genetic information about the species in question and the method is relatively simple and inexpensive [20]. A more severe weakness of RAPD is that the low stringency PCR required in the procedure, results in a high genotyping error rate and in lower genotyping reproducibility compared to single locus markers [21]. In AFLP and RFLP, the tests can be used to generate species-specific band patterns even if no prior gene sequence knowledge is known [22,23].…”

“…Mitochondrial 12S and 16S rDNA have been mostly applied in studies of higher categorical levels such as phyla and family respectively [21]. These sequences have been useful for inference of moderate to long divergence times [45].…”

“…Proteins, responsible for replication and transcription, bind to the D loop [56][57][58]. In animals, however, CR is composed of three domains including ETAS (extended termination associated sequences) domain, central domain and CSB (conserved sequence block) domain [21]. The CR region of tiger has been divided into five parts: hypervariable region I (HVI), repeat sequence 2 (RS 2), conserved control region (CCR), repeat sequence 3 (RS 3), and hypervariable region II (HVII) [59].…”

DNA Based Techniques for Studying Genetic Diversity

“…These different types of molecular markers are also different as to their potential to detect differences between individuals, their cost, facilities required, and consistency and replication of results (Schlotterer 2004;Schulman, 2007;Bernardo, 2008). A review summarizes various tools of DNA markers technology for application in molecular diversity analysis with special emphasis on wildlife conservation was presented by Arif et al, 2011. However, authors reviewed only mitochondrial DNA based markers including ribosomal DNA (12S and 16S rDNA), mitochondrial protein coding genes, non-coding or control region sequences and nuclear DNA based markers including random amplified polymorphic DNA, Amplified fragment length polymorphism, and microsatellites or simple sequence repeats.…”

Isolation and characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci from Zelkova schneideriana Hand.-Mazz.

“…The popularity of these markers is related to their ease of amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), their co-dominant nature, and their typically high levels of allelic diversity at different loci (Arif et al, 2011). The dual-suppression-PCR technique was recently developed.…”