Skip to main content
Log in

Species identification by means of pyrosequencing the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene

  • Technical Note
  • Published:
International Journal of Legal Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this study was to develop a new method for species identification based on the analysis of a very short nucleotide sequence. For this reason, the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene, together with the new method of pyrosequencing, was used. The detection of only 20 nucleotides, following the sequencing primer within a 149-bp fragment by pyrosequencing, was sufficient to identify the biological origin of the samples by alignment with a reference sequence database. A case example with a piece of skin is presented, and the question whether this piece of skin came from a missing wife or from an animal could be answered.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Anderson S, Bankier AT, Barrell BG et al (1981) Sequence and organisation of the human mitochondrial genome. Nature 290:457–464

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Anslinger K, Weichhold G, Keil W, Bayer B, Eisenmenger W (2001) Identification of the skeletal remains of Martin Bormann by mtDNA analysis. Int J Leg Med 114:194–196

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Austin JJ, Arnold EN, Jones CG (2004) Reconstructing an island radiation using ancient and recent DNA: the extinct and living day geckos (phelsuma) of the Mascarene Islands. Mol Phylogenet Evol 31:109–122

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Beati L, Caceres AG, Lee JA, Munstermann LE (2004) Systematic relationship among Lutzomyia sand flies (diptera: psychodidae) of Peru and Colombia based on the analysis of 12S and 28S ribosomal DNA sequence. Int J Parasitol 34:225–234

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Chikune K, Tabata T, Saito M, Monma M (1994) Sequencing of mitochondrial cytochrome b genes for the identification of meat species. Anim Sci Technol 65:571–579

    Google Scholar 

  6. Forrest AAR, Carnegie PR (1994) Identification of gourmet meat using FINS (forensically informative nucleotide sequencing). Biotechniques 17:24–26

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Noller HF (1984) Structure of ribosomal RNA. Ann Rev Biochem 53:119–162, (253)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Parson W, Pegoraro K, Niederstätter H, Föger M, Steinlechner M (2000) Species identification by means of the cytochrome b gene. Int J Leg Med 114:23–28

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Pfeiffer H, Benthaus S, Rolf B, Brinkmann B (2003) The Kaiser’s tooth. Int J Leg Med 117:118–120

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Ronaghi M (2001) Pyrosequencing sheds light on DNA sequencing. Genome Res 11:3–11

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Sanger F, Nicklen S, Coulson AR (1977) DNA sequencing with chain terminating inhibitors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 74:5463

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Smith RF, Wiese BA, Wojzynski MK, Davison DB, Worley KC (1996) BCM search launcher an integrated interface to molecular biology data base search and analysis services available on the World Wide Web. Genome Res 6:454–462

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Teifel-Greding J, Baur C, Josephi E, Liebhardt E (1988) Speziesidentifizierung an der Spur mit molekularbiologischen Methoden. Beitr Gerichtl Med 47:545–550

    Google Scholar 

  14. Woese CR, Magrum LJ, Gupta R et al (1980) Secondary structure model for bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA phylogenetic, enzymatic and chemical evidence. Nucleic Acids Res 8:2275–2293

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Zehner R, Zimmermann S, Mebs D (1998) RFLP and sequence analysis of the cytochrome b gene of selected animals and man: methodology and forensic application. Int J Leg Med 111:323–327

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to B. Balitzki-Korte.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Balitzki-Korte, B., Anslinger, K., Bartsch, C. et al. Species identification by means of pyrosequencing the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene. Int J Legal Med 119, 291–294 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-005-0537-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-005-0537-9

Keywords

Navigation