Weathered Antlers: A Valuable Source of DNA Useful for Conservation Purposes for Cervids

Abstract

Increasingly, conservation genetics pinpoint the use of biological matrices collected without stressing wildlife. Cervid’s antlers seem to fit with this need. We verified the amplification success rate from DNA obtained from red deer antlers collected in the State Nature Reserve of Bosco della Mesola, Northern Italy and its use for conservation purposes. Here occurs the only native red deer population of peninsular Italy, recently recognized as a distinct subspecies (Cervus elaphus italicus). Four antlers stored at room temperature for four years and four samples highly degraded by environmental conditions were analyzed using a multimarker approach. We utilized a simple, inexpensive method to extract DNA from drilled antlers powder. This study confirms that weathered antlers can be a suitable source of DNA also in Mediterranean climate characterized by strong seasonal fluctuations, and not only in dry climates. Our results pointed out that only burr drilling yielded good quality amplifiable DNA. Antlers can be used in particular for molecular genetic studies on rare or threatened species of cervids as providing an efficient and cost-effective non-invasive sampling.

Cervidae antlers exploited to manufacture prehistoric tools and hunting implements as a reliable source of ancient DNA

“…Genetic studies of antlers are mostly restricted to modern specimens in the context of deer conservation (e.g., Refs. [ [61] , [62] , [63] , [64] , [65] ]). Ancient DNA (aDNA) analyses, sometimes in combination with palaeoproteomics, of deer antlers have been restricted to palaeontological sites [ 65 , 66 ].…”

A minimally-invasive method for ancient DNA sampling of Prehistoric bone and antler tools and hunting weapons

“…Nevertheless, despite the importance of the diverse skeletal tissues for (pre)historic past societies, palaeogenetics and palaeoproteomics of osseous objects analyses have mainly focused on bone artefacts (Bradfield et al, 2021;Martisius, Welker, et al, 2020;McGrath et al, 2019;Pacher & Hofreiter, 2004). Genetic studies of other raw materials, such as antler, are mostly restricted to modern specimens in the context of deer conservation (e.g., (Bi et al, 2020;Greco et al, 2021;Hoffmann et al, 2015;Venegas et al, 2020)), with a single palaeontological Giant dear (Megaloceros giganteus) example from an unclear context with an estimated age of around 12,000 years (Kuehn et al, 2005). Ancient DNA (aDNA) analyses, sometimes in combination with palaeoproteomics, of deer antlers from archaeological contexts have been restricted to recent prehistoric periods (pre-Viking contexts from Scotland and Scandinavia (von Holstein et al, 2014) and Medieval times (Rosvold et al, 2019)).…”