title: Polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism applied to sex identification of Accipiter cooperii.
abstract: Determination of sex in birds is valuable for studying population dynamics and structure, habitat use, behavior and mating systems. The purpose of the present study was to optimize a DNA-based methodology to allow the sex identification in Accipiter cooperii nestlings. Chromo-helicase-DNA-binding (CHD1) gene was used in this work as a marker for sex identification. CHD-W and CHD-Z sequences should present length and/or sequence differences providing a way to identify gender. We used a non-invasive method for DNA extraction from feathers and performed polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) method. The length difference between CHD-W and CHD-Z amplified fragments observed by electrophoresis in conventional agarose gel was not enough to provide a clear differentiation between males and females. However, patterns obtained by PCR-SSCP differentiated undoubtedly males and females in A. cooperii. This tool provides a precise gender identification assay and will be applied to confirm and refine morphometrically based sexing techniques used in the field.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (CGB-UTAD/IBB), Quinta de Prados, Apdo. 1013, 5001-801, Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: Pedro Silveira
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Estela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bastos
authors.forename: Richard William
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Mannan
authors.forename: Henrique
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guedes-Pinto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005260:Female; D046428:Hawks / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational / Q000235:genetics*; D012732:Sex Determination Analysis / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins