| Summary: | An internal validation study was conducted to consider the adoption of a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method shown in a study by Cordes et al (2008) to provide discrimination between commercially harvested oyster species. Through the digestion of amplified fragments of the ITS-1 nuclear DNA gene region and the COI mitochondrial DNA region with the restriction enzymes Hae III and Dde I respectively, a unique fragment profile is achieved that allows for a genetic method of differentiation between the two most prevalent edible oyster species that are marketed in Texas, the native, Crassostrea virginica and an exotic, Crassostrea gigas. The results of this study provide the Texas Parks and Wildlife Law Enforcement Forensic Laboratory with a genetic method to assist with the identification of wildlife code violations of possession of live C. gigas.
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