NCJ Number
225599
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 53 Issue: 6 Dated: November 2008 Pages: 1358-1362
Date Published
November 2008
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Since attempts to prevent the illegal trade in bile and gall bladders from Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) are hampered by difficulties associated with identifying such items, this article reports on an investigation of the feasibility of recovering mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from dried bile crystals and describes a method for the amplification and sequencing of fragments of the cytochrome b gene.
Abstract
The DNA sequencing method described was able to identify the Ursus thibetanus to the species level, verification that could be vital for confirming illegal passage of products across an international border. In addition, coupled with intraspecific bear phylogeographic studies, DNA sequencing may provide greater resolution of geographic origin, enabling illegal international trade to be demonstrated within a species range. Thus, DNA sequencing not only provides a powerful, universally available tool for the analysis of suspected bear bile samples, but may assist in identifying major illegal trade routes of bear products. The procedure used extracted DNA from bile crystals of unknown species origin and generated partial cytochrome b (cyt b) sequences, using either universal primers (positioned in conserved regions of cyt b), or primers designed on existing Ursus thibetanus sequences. Species origin was determined by aligning resolved sequences to reference sequence data. The descriptions of methods and materials address reference samples, test samples, DNA extraction, primer selection, PCR amplification, and the sequencing of PCR products. 4 tables, 2 figures, and 22 references