DNA typing in populations of mule deer for forensic use in the Province of Alberta

Received 31 December 2007; accepted 25 January 2008. published online 25 March 2008.

Abstract

The present study involves the development of forensic DNA typing tests and databases for mule deer in the Province of Alberta. Two multiplex PCR reactions interrogating 10 loci were used to analyze samples from three populations of mule deer. Additionally, an amelogenin based sex-typing marker was used to determine the gender of samples. Results show that the tests and databases are appropriate for use in forensic applications. Additionally, the results indicate that there is little population structure in mule deer in Alberta and that no changes to management of this game species are suggested.

Keywords: Forensic science, Wildlife, Alberta, Mule deer, DNA typing, Microsatellite, Odocoileus hemionus, Poaching, Polymerase chain reaction, Sika amelogenin, BM4107, T7, Rt30, Rt7, Rt5, BM1225, OheN, BM4208, OheQ

a Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, Fish and Wildlife Forensic Laboratory, 7th Floor OS Longman Building, 6909-116 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T6H 4P2, Canada

b Department of Criminal Investigation, Zhejiang Police College, 555 Binwen Road, Hangzhou 310053, PR China

Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 780 422 3194; fax: +1 780 422 9685.

1 Present address: Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Department of Medical Genetics, 8-26 Medical Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada.

PII: S1872-4973(08)00031-8

doi:10.1016/j.fsigen.2008.01.003

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