DNA barcoding in the cycadales: testing the potential of proposed barcoding markers for species identification of cycads.

ABSTRACT: Barcodes are short segments of DNA that can be used to uniquely identify an unknown specimen to species, particularly when diagnostic morphological features are absent. These sequences could offer a new forensic tool in plant and animal conservation-especially for endangered species such as members of the Cycadales. Ideally, barcodes could be used to positively identify illegally obtained material even in cases where diagnostic features have been purposefully removed or to release confiscated organisms into the proper breeding population. In order to be useful, a DNA barcode sequence must not only easily PCR amplify with universal or near-universal reaction conditions and primers, but also contain enough variation to generate unique identifiers at either the species or population levels. C

SUBMITTER: Sass C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2063462 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature