A rapid multiplex PCR assay for presumptive species identification of rhinoceros horns and its implementation in Vietnam.
Rhinoceros (rhinos) have suffered a dramatic increase in poaching over the past decade due to the growing demand for rhino horn products in Asia. One way to reverse this trend is to enhance enforcement and intelligence gathering tools used for species identification of horns, in particular making th...
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doaj-1f075856d411494d9d46da541be4327a2020-11-24T21:09:42ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032018-01-01136e019856510.1371/journal.pone.0198565A rapid multiplex PCR assay for presumptive species identification of rhinoceros horns and its implementation in Vietnam.Kyle M EwartGreta J FrankhamRoss McEwingDang Tat TheCarolyn J HoggClaire WadeNathan LoRebecca N JohnsonRhinoceros (rhinos) have suffered a dramatic increase in poaching over the past decade due to the growing demand for rhino horn products in Asia. One way to reverse this trend is to enhance enforcement and intelligence gathering tools used for species identification of horns, in particular making them fast, inexpensive and accurate. Traditionally, species identification tests are based on DNA sequence data, which, depending on laboratory resources, can be either time or cost prohibitive. This study presents a rapid rhino species identification test, utilizing species-specific primers within the cytochrome b gene multiplexed in a single reaction, with a presumptive species identification based on the length of the resultant amplicon. This multiplex PCR assay can provide a presumptive species identification result in less than 24 hours. Sequence-based definitive testing can be conducted if/when required (e.g. court purposes). This work also presents an actual casework scenario in which the presumptive test was successfully utlitised, in concert with sequence-based definitive testing. The test was carried out on seized suspected rhino horns tested at the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, the CITES mandated laboratory in Vietnam, a country that is known to be a major source of demand for rhino horns. This test represents the basis for which future 'rapid species identification tests' can be trialed.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC6002117?pdf=render |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Kyle M Ewart Greta J Frankham Ross McEwing Dang Tat The Carolyn J Hogg Claire Wade Nathan Lo Rebecca N Johnson |
spellingShingle |
Kyle M Ewart Greta J Frankham Ross McEwing Dang Tat The Carolyn J Hogg Claire Wade Nathan Lo Rebecca N Johnson A rapid multiplex PCR assay for presumptive species identification of rhinoceros horns and its implementation in Vietnam. PLoS ONE |
author_facet |
Kyle M Ewart Greta J Frankham Ross McEwing Dang Tat The Carolyn J Hogg Claire Wade Nathan Lo Rebecca N Johnson |
author_sort |
Kyle M Ewart |
title |
A rapid multiplex PCR assay for presumptive species identification of rhinoceros horns and its implementation in Vietnam. |
title_short |
A rapid multiplex PCR assay for presumptive species identification of rhinoceros horns and its implementation in Vietnam. |
title_full |
A rapid multiplex PCR assay for presumptive species identification of rhinoceros horns and its implementation in Vietnam. |
title_fullStr |
A rapid multiplex PCR assay for presumptive species identification of rhinoceros horns and its implementation in Vietnam. |
title_full_unstemmed |
A rapid multiplex PCR assay for presumptive species identification of rhinoceros horns and its implementation in Vietnam. |
title_sort |
rapid multiplex pcr assay for presumptive species identification of rhinoceros horns and its implementation in vietnam. |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
series |
PLoS ONE |
issn |
1932-6203 |
publishDate |
2018-01-01 |
description |
Rhinoceros (rhinos) have suffered a dramatic increase in poaching over the past decade due to the growing demand for rhino horn products in Asia. One way to reverse this trend is to enhance enforcement and intelligence gathering tools used for species identification of horns, in particular making them fast, inexpensive and accurate. Traditionally, species identification tests are based on DNA sequence data, which, depending on laboratory resources, can be either time or cost prohibitive. This study presents a rapid rhino species identification test, utilizing species-specific primers within the cytochrome b gene multiplexed in a single reaction, with a presumptive species identification based on the length of the resultant amplicon. This multiplex PCR assay can provide a presumptive species identification result in less than 24 hours. Sequence-based definitive testing can be conducted if/when required (e.g. court purposes). This work also presents an actual casework scenario in which the presumptive test was successfully utlitised, in concert with sequence-based definitive testing. The test was carried out on seized suspected rhino horns tested at the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, the CITES mandated laboratory in Vietnam, a country that is known to be a major source of demand for rhino horns. This test represents the basis for which future 'rapid species identification tests' can be trialed. |
url |
http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC6002117?pdf=render |
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