Molecular delineation between Merluccius Capensis and M. paradoxus using Mitochondrial DNA sequence

Abstract

The use of DNA-based methodologies in identification of hake species belonging to the Merluccius genus proved to be successful. DNA was extracted using the Qiagen kit and an amount of 20 samples for each species were used for this study and as such the extraction was successfully done. DNA Bands of both Merluccius capensis and M.paradoxus were obtained after the extraction with smears of RNA at the bottom of the gel. Furthermore, the hake-specific PCR product, due to its limited size, was obtained in a variety of tissue samples with different levels of DNA concentration and degradation. Analysis includes PCR products that were amplified with primers of 12s rRNA that were also visible from their respective wells. Species identification by phylogenetic analysis of sequences or by PCR methodologies is useful in a variety of scenarios including species determination of individuals whose morphological characters are removed. ______________________________________________________________________________