title: [Isolation and amplification of DNA from tortoise and turtle shells].
abstract: DNA was extracted from tortoise and turtle shells, two Chiense crude drugs which have been preserved for at least nine years. The cytochrome b sequence was amplified from the extracts using the polymerase chain reaction. Treatments with detergent and ultraviolet light were employed to destroy possible extraneous contamination. A control extract was set in parallel with the extracts of the specimens in order to detect contamination in solutions and reagents. The results show that significant amounts of genetic information can survive in the shells and may have important implications for their identification.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Nanjing Normal University.
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008419:Materia Medica; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014426:Turtles / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D008419:Materia Medica; D004247:DNA