Molecular species identification of CentralEuropean ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae)using nuclear rDNA expansion segments andDNA barcodes.

Raupach, Michael J.; Astrin, Jonas J.; Hannig, Karsten; Peters, Marcell K.; Stoeckle, Mark Y.; Wägele, Johann-Wolfgang

Background: The identification of vast numbers of unknown organisms using DNA sequences becomes more and more important in ecological and biodiversity studies. In this context, a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene has been proposed as standard DNA barcoding marker for the identification of organisms. Limitations of the COI barcoding approach can arise from its single-locus identification system, the effect of introgression events, incomplete lineage sorting, numts, heteroplasmy and maternal inheritance of intracellular endosymbionts. Consequently, the analysis of a supplementary nuclear marker system could be advantageous. Results: We tested the effectiveness of the COI barcoding region and of three nuclear ribosomal expansion segments in discriminating ground beetles of Central Europe, a diverse and well-studied invertebrate taxon. As nuclear markers we determined the 18S rDNA: V4, 18S rDNA: V7 and 28S rDNA: D3 expansion segments for 344 specimens of 75 species. Seventy-three species (97%) of the analysed species could be accurately identified using COI, while the combined approach of all three nuclear markers provided resolution among 71 (95%) of the studied Carabidae. Conclusion: Our results confirm that the analysed nuclear ribosomal expansion segments in combination constitute a valuable and efficient supplement for classical DNA barcoding to avoid potential pitfalls when only mitochondrial data are being used. We also demonstrate the high potential of COI barcodes for the identification of even closely related carabid species.

EUROPE; EASTERN Hemisphere; GROUND beetles; RECOMBINANT DNA; CYTOCHROME oxidase; NUCLEIC acids

Frontiers in Zoology, 2010, Vol 7, p26

1742-9994

Academic Journal

10.1186/1742-9994-7-26