Molecular Cataloging Of Pakistani Small Wild Ruminant Species Of Family Bovidae Through DNA Barcoding

Abstract

Pakistan is bestowed with a diverse population of small wild ruminant species ranging their habitats from southern hills to high Himalayan altitudes. In this study, small wild ruminant species of family Bovidae were genetically explored via DNA barcoding. Meat/blood and bone samples were collected. DNA was extracted using organic DNA extraction method. A set of primers was designed using Molecular Evolutionary Genetic Analysis 6 (MEGA 6 software). Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was optimized for maximum amplification by verifying the primers concentration. Amplified PCR products were sequenced via Sanger sequencing technique. Sequences were analyzed with the help of National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), (Bioedit) and MEGA 6. Here molecular cataloging of 6 small wild ruminant species of family Bovidae was carried out using 30 sequences (393 base pairs) of cytochrome b gene and 9 Cytochrome b gene sequences were retrieved from GenBank.

The evolutionary divergence recorded between groups was 0.024-0.156 while the evolutionary divergence within groups was 0.000-0,013. The overall mean distance was 0.093. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree was constructed. Capra falconeri formed a monophyletic group with Capra aegarus blythi. Capra sibirica evolved independently. Pseudois nayaur exhibited close evolutionary relationship to Psudois shaeferi. Ovis vignei and Ovis ammon evolved independently. Ovis. orientalis evolved in single clade with Ovis musimon and Ovis areis Oula Tibetan. Capra. hircus was extremely close to Capra aegagrus. We concluded that DNA barcoding is a reliable, cheap and authentic method for the genetic discrimination of wild species.