Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Greetings all,

Does anyone know where one might get DNA analysis performed for genotyping cyclura? Any idea of the cost?

I have a 'cuban' male that is showing a great deal of blue/silver coloration & I want to be certain that it is a purebred before breeding. Specifically, I want to know if he is C.n. nubila or nubila x lewisii

TIA,

Art

n/p

It may be possible; you should probably go to www.pubmed.com and do a search for the species name and in all journals. If you can find someone doing research on them, they -might- be able to help you. You probably won't be able to read the entire article, but you should be able to get the contact information.

The process itself isn't too difficult, and there is a procedure available to extract DNA from a freshly shed skin, so no blood drawing, or other painful extractions needed.

If you can find someone who has the facilities to do it, it will cost several hundred dollars. While the procedure is easy, the supplies and equipment needed are expensive.

I was at one time thinking of starting a business to genotype reptiles....no more % possible hets. For a fee, the breeder could be certain which babies of a clutch actually carry (are het for) the cool appearance (i.e. albino, piebald, leuistic, etc.) Also good for sexing tortoises, turtles, those hard to tell other critters.

Alas, start up costs are very high, and most of these cool mutations are not identified. So the first thing I'd have to do is identify them, lots of time and work (also expensive).

Yes, I do know how to do it, just don't have the facilities.

So, give a search on pubmed a try. If you're enrolled at a college or university, you could do a journal search in the school's system and probably get more detailed results, and maybe more results.

Siriana
Blue Moon Exotics
Dealer in Fine Feeder Insects

Lewisi cyclura have been tested in the past by blood DNA samples at Texas A and M College. I don't think they are doing it anymore. It was done for free, but it took up to 6 months for some to get the results as they would no run the test until they had collected a large number of samples.

Apparently it is very specific. There is a place online that takes semples of blood that you collect and they can tell the sex of iguanas. GREEN iguanas. Apparently it is a different process or genotype or something for cyclura so they cant do it. I believe the place in question was "Zoogen". You might email them and ask.

Carole
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Check it out. www.reptilecare.com

Sexing from DNA is easy, one gender has 1 copy of a gene, and the other has 2 copies. It's also possible to tell just from looking at a dividing cell, since "x" and "y" are different sizes.

Telling the difference between two similar species by DNA requires a detailed DNA fingerprint of both species, to identify SPECIES differences (not just personal/parental prints--like in paternity testing, or crime scenes). It takes a lot of work and money to find those special differences. Once found, it's not a problem to test other animals.

A search through research journal databases (via pubmed or some other search engine) will identify who's researching the species, and they will be the ones to contact for your best chance. It will likely be a University. You can also search for who's DNA testing reptiles, as they might be able to help too.

Also...BLOOD is not needed to do ANY of these tests, merely a freshly shed skin. I've got the protocol for doing it right in front of me, it's easy and produces high-grade DNA (nearly pure and lots of it).

Siri Lin

I know nc state has done dna research in the past for bushmasters. I would also try un of florida they have a big herp following down there. they have done virus scanning for me in the past.

Thank you all for your input! I have many potential avenues to pursue thanks to your suggestions and several days worth of searching on my part.

I have had the opportunity to do DNA extraction/purification and could probably do gender phenotyping with the equipment I have on hand. The difficulty would be acquiring the 'second stage' equipment/materials needed to perform the comparative analysis.

I will be sending inquiries to the list of persons/entities that I have and will post the results of them here when available.

Thanks for all of your help!

Art