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Unknown Specimen Identification

 

Mitochrondrial Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (MT-COI) gene is used as a DNA barcode to identify animal species.  Its mutation rate is fast enough to distingusih closely related species and also because its sequence is conserved among conspecifics. Delimitation of taxonomy is based on the Barcode of Life Data (BOLD) Systems database which includes more than 4M barcodes comprising >160,000 animals, >62,000 plants and >18,000 fungi & other life for comparison. MT-COI-specific PCR with sanger sequencing platform is our platinum standard on specimen identification purpose, but you may also choose NGS platform for a more comprehensive metagenomic information when your sample is not a pure strain or a mixture. Contact us for details.

Delimitation of an unknown organism isolated in a food complain case. MT-COI sequence obtained is submitted to compare to the BOLD Systems database.

Identification of an unknown foregin object in a food complain case. Sanger sequence data retrieved from cloned MT-COI amplicons indicates the object consists of a mixture of organisms. This information helps to trace the source of contamination during the food-processing procedure.

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