Genetic based fetal sexing from elephant maternal plasma

Abstract

From the literature reviewed concerning elephant population and management, fetal sex diagnoses and molecular sexing methods, we can resolve that there is a clear need to develop accurate methods of early fetal sex diagnosis of elephants, as the potentiality of US and hormonal measurements for fetal sex diagnosis are unfeasible or are presently limited. Concerning placentation types and period of gestation it is apparent that although these factors have potential to limit the successful detection of cell free fetal (cff) DNA. It has been shown also, that with appropriate methods of DNA extraction along with increased sensitivity of PCR techniques it is possible to investigate circulating cffDNA from animals with varied placentation and at early points of gestation. Accurate molecular methods of sex diagnosis of mammals have been developed for mammals including elephants. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the presence of cell free fetal DNA in the maternal plasma of African elephants by developing and using a reliable PCR system combined with a highly sensitive capillary electrophoresis for detection amplified PCR products.