Novel Method for the Discrimination of Tuna (Thunnus t hynnus) and Bonito (Sarda sarda) DNA

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 48; no. 10; pp. 4463 - 4468
• Main Authors: Lockley, Andrew K, Bardsley, Ronald G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01-10-2000
• Subjects: Animals; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Cytochrome b Group - genetics; DNA - analysis; Fish and seafood industries; Fishes - metabolism; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Molecular Sequence Data; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Species Specificity; Tuna - metabolism; Polymerase chain reaction; Vertebrata; Thunnus thynnus; Cytochrome b; Pisces; Interspecific comparison; Genetic identification; Mitochondrial DNA; Specific identification
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf000387p

A novel method for the discrimination of bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) from Atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda) was developed, based on species-specific amplification of a region of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The method, which uses a one-step amplification reaction, is more rapid to perform than any of the currently described techniques for species determination in fish. The species of origin of the DNA is indicated by the distinctive size of the PCR product on electrophoresis, but the test could readily be adapted to other forms of electrophoresis or fluorescence-based systems for quantification. Given the possibility of intraspecific variability in mitochondrial DNA and the consequent desirability of performing two independent tests, the new method constitutes a valuable addition to the range of tuna speciation methodologies currently available. Keywords: Species identification; Thunnus thynnus; Sarda sarda; PCR; mitochondrial cytochrome b gene