Application of molecular markers for detection of South American camelid illegal traffic

DI ROCCO F.; POSIK D.M.; RIPOLI M.V.; DIAZ S.; GIOVAMBATTISTA G.; VIDAL RIOJA L.

Buenos Aires

Congreso; 23 Congreso de la ISFG; 2009

International Society of Forensic Science

South American camelids comprises two wild forms of camelids, guanaco (Lama guanicoe) and vicuna (Vicugna vicugna), and their respective domestic derivatives llama (L. glama) and alpaca (L. pacos). Species-specific identification techniques by DNA analysis have been successfully used to solve animal illegal traffic casework. The aim of the present study was determine by DNA analysis the species-specific origin of a confiscated alleged alpaca herd and evaluate the usefulness of the mitochondrial and autosomal markers in resolving judicial cases. Genomic DNA was obtained by DNAzol technique from samples of 25 sequestered domestic camelid proceeding from Court of Jujuy province, Argentina. Cytb and COXI mitochondrial genes fragments and seven microsatellites were typed. Obtained mitochondrial sequences were compared with camelid sequences available at GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis was carried out with the Network software. Mitochondrial results were non conclusive due to 18 samples presented haplotypes corresponding to guanaco haplogroup and the remaining 7 belonged to vicuña linage. Noteworthy, reference llama and alpaca sequences also were distributed in both haplogroups. Results obtained from mitochondrial DNA are in agreement with previous studies which describe the occurrence of extensive hybridization between domestic species. Comparison between microsatellite allelic frequencies of casework samples and llama reference samples revealed non-superposed genetic profile in two microsatellite loci due to the presence of private alleles. This result suggests that confiscated animals could have alpaca instead llama origin. In conclusion, mitochondrial DNA not always allows species-specific identification in South American camelids. In contrast, microsatellites that present privative alleles resulted useful for discrimination of these species.