An improved PCR method for gender identification of eagles

Mol Cell Probes. 2008 Jun;22(3):184-8. doi: 10.1016/j.mcp.2007.12.004. Epub 2008 Apr 1.

Abstract

Eagles are sexually monomorphic and therefore it is difficult to determine their gender, which is a crucial need for management purposes. In this study, we have developed an improved gender identification method by exploiting length differences between the Chromo-Helicase-DNA binding protein (CHD)-Z and CHD-W genes of Spilornis cheela hoya. By comparing DNA sequences for CHD-W and CHD-Z from 10 species of Falconiformes eagles we designed universal gender identification PCR primers that exploit differences in product size. Standard agarose gels were shown to easily distinguish between the 148-bp CHD-ZW and the 258-bp CHD-W PCR products. When used with 28 samples of S. cheela hoya, our improved universal primers provided a fast and precise gender identification assay.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA Primers
  • Eagles / genetics*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Sex Determination Analysis
  • Species Specificity

Substances

  • DNA Primers