Volume: 4, 2025
4th International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: A006
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL4.A006
Published online: 9 April 2025
ICDSUPL, 4, A006 (2025)
Species identification of a bone keychain using DNA analysis
Aleksandra Figura1*, Magdalena Gryzińska1
1 Sub-Department of General and Molecular Genetics, Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
* Corresponding author: aleksandra.figura@up.lublin.pl
Abstract
The identification of species in processed animal products plays a crucial role in forensic genetics, wildlife protection, and trade regulation enforcement. DNA-based techniques, particularly those utilizing mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), offer a reliable approach for species identification, especially in highly degraded biological samples. This study aimed to determine the species origin of a bone keychain confiscated at a border crossing due to suspicions that it was made of ivory. A sample of bone material was carefully collected and subjected to DNA extraction using a forensic-grade protocol to ensure the recovery of even highly degraded genetic material. The extracted DNA was quantified and analyzed for purity, followed by PCR amplification targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Five pairs of universal primers were tested, but only one set successfully amplified a short 148 bp fragment, a critical advantage when working with degraded DNA. The sequencing results, analyzed using BLAST, revealed a 99% match to Bos taurus (domestic cattle), confirming that the keychain was not made of ivory but rather originated from cattle bone. These findings underscore the importance of selecting short mtDNA fragments for species identification in degraded biological materials. The study also highlights the relevance of molecular methods in forensic investigations concerning the illegal trade of animal-derived products. The approach demonstrated here can be applied to similar cases where the verification of species origin is required for conservation and regulatory purposes.
Keywords: forensic genetics, mitochondrial DNA, species identification, wildlife trade, cytochrome b
How to cite
A. Figura, M. Gryzińska, 2025. Species identification of a bone keychain using DNA analysis. In: 4th International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL4.A006