Investigating the Viability of eDNA Techniques for Eurycea Alternative Reproductive Tactics Research
Disciplines
Biology | Molecular Genetics | Zoology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Male salamanders of the genus Eurycea demonstrate a phenomenon known as “alternative reproductive tactics” - within a single population, males exhibit two discrete reproductive strategies, which are manifested as suites of behavioral and morphological differences and are known to have a genetic basis. Thus far, the genetic component of research on this topic has been facilitated by tissue sample collection from living salamanders, but there is another possible source of DNA which might be used for this research: eDNA (environmental DNA). eDNA techniques involve the isolation of DNA from the environment (e.g., from water samples) rather than directly from an organism. Often, eDNA techniques take advantage of mitochondrial DNA, which is relatively common in the environment. The genetic basis of the alternative reproductive strategies of salamanders, however, is associated with nuclear DNA, which, for various reasons, appears in the environment in considerably smaller concentrations than mitochondrial DNA. The scarcity of nuclear DNA in environmental samples means that use of eDNA techniques may or may not be viable for research into Eurycea alternative reproductive tactics. This study tests whether environmental DNA techniques can viably be used to collect genetic data for this research by evaluating the efficacy of multiple DNA isolation and amplification protocols. While the tested eDNA techniques may not be able to sufficiently isolate and amplify Eurycea nuclear DNA, success could dictate the future of research in this area.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
CSM - Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Todd Pierson
Investigating the Viability of eDNA Techniques for Eurycea Alternative Reproductive Tactics Research
Male salamanders of the genus Eurycea demonstrate a phenomenon known as “alternative reproductive tactics” - within a single population, males exhibit two discrete reproductive strategies, which are manifested as suites of behavioral and morphological differences and are known to have a genetic basis. Thus far, the genetic component of research on this topic has been facilitated by tissue sample collection from living salamanders, but there is another possible source of DNA which might be used for this research: eDNA (environmental DNA). eDNA techniques involve the isolation of DNA from the environment (e.g., from water samples) rather than directly from an organism. Often, eDNA techniques take advantage of mitochondrial DNA, which is relatively common in the environment. The genetic basis of the alternative reproductive strategies of salamanders, however, is associated with nuclear DNA, which, for various reasons, appears in the environment in considerably smaller concentrations than mitochondrial DNA. The scarcity of nuclear DNA in environmental samples means that use of eDNA techniques may or may not be viable for research into Eurycea alternative reproductive tactics. This study tests whether environmental DNA techniques can viably be used to collect genetic data for this research by evaluating the efficacy of multiple DNA isolation and amplification protocols. While the tested eDNA techniques may not be able to sufficiently isolate and amplify Eurycea nuclear DNA, success could dictate the future of research in this area.