Differentiation of Cat Littermates by Means of Mitochondrial Control Region Sequencing

Choi, Jeannie

Differentiation of Cat Littermates by Means of Mitochondrial Control Region Sequencing

Persistent URL

http://hdl.handle.net/10456/42830

Author(s)

Choi, Jeannie

Date Issued

April 3, 2017

Abstract

In animal forensics, animal identification is crucial, especially in criminal cases where animal hair can be used as evidence through means of mitochondrial DNA testing. However, a limiting factor to using mitochondrial DNA is being unable to differentiate between animal littermates because they inherit identical mitochondrial genomes from their mothers. This study is based on a human identical twins study where single nucleotide polymorphisms were discovered in between the mitochondrial genomes of 43-58 years old identical twins. The purpose of this study is to search for mitochondrial DNA differences between cat littermates. The control region of the cat mitochondrial genome was amplified and sequenced in cat littermates ranging in age from 6 months to 13 years old. Out of 11 littermate pairs, one has a single nucleotide polymorphism due to heteroplasmy. The pair was 5 years and 7 months old being equivalent to 36-40 human years old which is close to the ages of the human identical twins containing SNPs. It is possible that mitochondrial differences can occur during an individual’s lifetime, and first be detected when they are middle-aged; however, more research needs to be done. Nevertheless, this study stresses the necessity for using mitochondrial DNA testing as a method for distinguishing between the mitochondrial DNA profiles of maternally related individuals.

Major

Biology

First Reader(s)

Webb, Kristen