பூச்சியியல், பறவையியல் & ஹெர்பெட்டாலஜி: தற்போதைய ஆராய்ச்சி
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Potential Application of Gustatory Receptor 1 (CmegGr1) Gene as a Molecular Marker for Identification of Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Siti Nur Akmal Ghazali, Emelia Osman, Hidayatulfathi Othman, Syamsa Rizal Abdullah

Identification of Chrysomya megacephala larva is simple and cheap using traditional microscopy techniques. Nevertheless, it may be hampered if the larvae come with incomplete morphological characteristics or are too immature for microscopic identification. Alternatively, the application of a molecular approach for the identification of these samples can be achieved without the need for taxonomy experts. Previously, mitochondrial DNA, Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) gene is the most extensively used in the molecular study for the detection of Ch. megacephala blowfly. Toss date, this gene is reported to be least useful for identification, since several other fly species are found to be closely related and may cause erroneous interpretation during the identification process. Thus, this study aimed for a new and novel target gene called Ch. megacephala Gustatory receptor 1 gene (CmegGr1) which was never been used for identification before. The current study uses a molecular and bioinformatic technique to detect the presence of CmegGr1 in Ch. megacephala and its evolutionary relationship with other forensically fly species. The tissue and species specificity of this gene were also determined. The third instar larvae of Ch. megacephala and eight other forensically important fly species were obtained from two sources; the rabbit carcasses and the Forensic Entomology Unit collection. The DNAs were extracted from these larvae, followed by amplification of the CmegGr1 using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The resulting sequences were subjected to phylogenetic analysis. A 209 bp of the CmegGr1 gene was successfully amplified from 30 samples of Ch. megacephala with a sensitivity and specificity of 80% and 100%, respectively. CmegGr1 gene demonstrated a high specificity as none of the non-Ch. megacephala species were amplified.