title: Using the developmental gene bicoid to identify species of forensically important blowflies (Diptera: calliphoridae).
abstract: Identifying species of insects used to estimate postmortem interval (PMI) is a major subject in forensic entomology. Because forensic insect specimens are morphologically uniform and are obtained at various developmental stages, DNA markers are greatly needed. To develop new autosomal DNA markers to identify species, partial genomic sequences of the bicoid (bcd) genes, containing the homeobox and its flanking sequences, from 12 blowfly species (Aldrichina grahami, Calliphora vicina, Calliphora lata, Triceratopyga calliphoroides, Chrysomya megacephala, Chrysomya pinguis, Phormia regina, Lucilia ampullacea, Lucilia caesar, Lucilia illustris, Hemipyrellia ligurriens and Lucilia sericata; Calliphoridae: Diptera) were determined and analyzed. This study first sequenced the ten blowfly species other than C. vicina and L. sericata. Based on the bcd sequences of these 12 blowfly species, a phylogenetic tree was constructed that discriminates the subfamilies of Calliphoridae (Luciliinae, Chrysomyinae, and Calliphorinae) and most blowfly species. Even partial genomic sequences of about 500 bp can distinguish most blowfly species. The short intron 2 and coding sequences downstream of the bcd homeobox in exon 3 could be utilized to develop DNA markers for forensic applications. These gene sequences are important in the evolution of insect developmental biology and are potentially useful for identifying insect species in forensic science.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, 126-1 Anamdong 5-ga, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-705, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seong Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Chung Hyun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Huguo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Piao
authors.forename: Ukhee
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Seong Yoon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kwang Soo
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Cheong-Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Tae-Ho
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.forename: Juck-Joon
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003933:Diagnosis; D004175:Diptera / Q000235:genetics*; D053803:Forensic Genetics; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins