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A segment of rbcL gene as a potential tool for forensic discrimination of Cannabis sativa seized at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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Abstract

Cannabis sativa, known by the common name marijuana, is the psychoactive drug most widely distributed in the world. Identification of Cannabis cultivars may be useful for association to illegal crops, which may reveal trafficking routes and related criminal groups. This study provides evidence for the performance of a segment of the rbcL gene, through genetic signature, as a tool for identification for C. sativa samples apprehended by the Rio de Janeiro Police, Brazil. The PCR amplified and further sequenced the fragment of approximately 561 bp of 24 samples of C. sativa rbcL gene and showed the same nucleotide sequences, suggesting a possible genetic similarity or identical varieties. Comparing with other Cannabaceae family sequences, we have found 99 % of similarity between the Rio de Janeiro sequence and three other C. sativa rbcL genes. These findings suggest that the fragment utilized at this study is efficient in identifying C. sativa samples, therefore, useful in genetic discrimination of samples seized in forensic cases.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Priscila Menezes and Cesar F. Schmidt for technical support. This work was supported in part by research grants from Brazilian Agencies FAPERJ, CNPq, and CAPES.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Laboratório de Biologia Molecular Forense, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Bl. A, sala A0-087, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-092, Brazil

      I. C. T. Mello, A. S. D. Ribeiro, V. H. G. Dias & Rodrigo Soares de Moura Neto

    2. Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Qualidade e Tecnologia, INMETRO, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

      Rodrigo Soares de Moura Neto

    3. Laboratório de Metabolismo Macromolecular Firmino Torres de Castro, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho/UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

      R. Silva

    4. Instituto de Criminalística Carlos Éboli/DGPTC/PCERJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

      B. D. Sabino

    5. Instituto de Pesquisas e Perícias em Genética Forense/DGPTC/PCERJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

      R. G. Garrido

    6. Mestrado em Desenvolvimento Local, UNISUAM, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

      R. G. Garrido

    7. Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes/UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

      L. Seldin

    Authors
    1. I. C. T. Mello
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    2. A. S. D. Ribeiro
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    3. V. H. G. Dias
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    4. R. Silva
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    5. B. D. Sabino
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    6. R. G. Garrido
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    7. L. Seldin
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    8. Rodrigo Soares de Moura Neto
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    Corresponding author

    Correspondence to Rodrigo Soares de Moura Neto.

    Additional information

    I. C. T. Mello and A. S. D. Ribeiro contributed equally to this work.

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    Mello, I.C.T., Ribeiro, A.S.D., Dias, V.H.G. et al. A segment of rbcL gene as a potential tool for forensic discrimination of Cannabis sativa seized at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Int J Legal Med 130, 353–356 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-015-1170-x

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-015-1170-x

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