DNA barcoding
DNA barcoding is a way of telling different species apart by looking at one gene that they all have. This technique is being used worldwide to identify animal species. In New Zealand, DNA barcoding has been used to explore the relationship between the pukeko, takahe and the extinct moho. Click on the following for more details:
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DNA barcoding
DNA barcoding is a technique being used to identify and distinguish different animal species worldwide.
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The ideal barcoding gene
The cytochrome c oxidase, sub-unit 1 (CO1) gene was selected as the ideal gene for the DNA barcoding project to identify and distinguish animal species. Why did the scientists involved in the Consortium for the Barcode of Life select this particular gene from the enormous number available?
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The wandering pukeko
Swamp hens are a type of bird found all over the world. New Zealand has three representatives of this genus: pukeko, takahe, and the extinct moho (also known as the North Island takahe). DNA barcoding is being used to unravel the evolutionary relationships between these New Zealand natives and their overseas relations. This gives clues about where the New Zealand swamp hens came from and how they got here.
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DNA samples from museum swamp hens
DNA barcodes of New Zealand’s swamp hen species were compared with samples from other Pacific island swamp hens. But the DNA of the Pacific island birds was taken from specimens in museums that were more than 80 years old. How could useful information be gathered from such degraded DNA?
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Species and speciation
In 1959, Charles Darwin wrote, “every naturalist knows vaguely what he means when he speaks of a species”. Despite scientific advances since Darwin’s time, this vagueness still exists. Is biotechnology going to clarify this vagueness or make it worse?
