Mitochondrial DNA enrichment for species identification and evolutionary analysis

Nucleic acid-based species identification often targets the mitochondrial encoded cytb gene. However, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)- restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis using universal primers sometimes leads to ambiguous results, which are due to the presence of nuclear encoded pseudo-cytb genes. Such ambiguities were succesfully avoided using a newly developed method for the enrichment of mitochondrial DNA. In addition, a mitochondrial cyrb-specific PCR system was designed allowing the unambiguous identification of game meat.