The application of DNA fingerprinting to the conservation of threatened species

Ashworth, David (1992) The application of DNA fingerprinting to the conservation of threatened species. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.

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Abstract

The human polycore minisatellite probes 33.6 and 33.15 developed by Prof. Alec Jeffreys and colleagues have been shown to detect hypervariable minisatellites in many taxonomically dispersed species. The mRNA derivatives of these two probes, pSPT19.6 and pSPT18.15, have here been used to probe the genomes of four species currently maintained in captivity. The wild populations of these species, Rothschild's mynah, the Rodrigues fruit bat, the British Merlin and the New Zealand falcon, are threatened with extinction to varying degrees. By using the technique of DNA fingerprinting, it has been possible to assess the levels of minisatellite variation remaining in these stocks, to confirm or refute the parent/offspring allocations made within, and in the case of Rothschild's mynah, to demonstrate that at least two of the founders of the stock were closely related. In addition, it has been possible to show that there is a significant positive relationship between the similarity coefficient calculated between two adults and the inbreeding coefficient calculated for their offspring.

Item Type: Thesis (University of Nottingham only) (PhD)
Supervisors: Parkin, D.
Keywords: Genomes, Endangered species, Minisatellite variation, Parent/offspring allocations
Subjects: Q Science > QH Natural history. Biology
Faculties/Schools: UK Campuses > Faculty of Science > School of Biosciences
Item ID: 29183
Depositing User: Blore, Mrs Kathryn
Date Deposited: 02 Jul 2015 09:24
Last Modified: 16 Dec 2017 17:23
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/29183

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