| dc.description.abstract | Background: The fallow deer (Dama dama) represents a significant game
management value in Hungary due to its game meat and antler trophies.
Unfortunately, traffic accidents and illegal activities, such as poaching or illegal
trading, threaten the species and its value.
Objectives: The aim of the authors is to develop a set of tetranucleotide
microsatellite markers that are capable of individual identification of fallow deer
to help law enforcement prove the abovementioned cases.
Materials and Methods: A total of 27 fallow deer individuals from three
Hungarian sampling areas were examined. The authors tested 31 tetranucleotide
microsatellites on the samples which were originally designed for red deer (Cervus
elaphus) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). Published PCR protocols were
available for all markers on the original species, which were tested and optimized
on fallow deer samples based on the visualized PCR products on agarose gel.
Afterwards, they were examined by capillary electrophoresis so that the alleles
could be separated and detected, and the polymorphic markers sorted.
Results and Discussion: Only 25 markers provided PCR products of adequate
quality and quantity, from which the capillary electrophoresis detected a total
of four polymorphic markers with two or three alleles. This shows a possible low
genetic variation in the Hungarian fallow deer population which is in accordance
with other international research on the species. It is believed that during the
Pleistocene the extreme climate caused a major reduction of the species,
which was followed by reintroduction by people, both of which resulted in the
experienced general low genetic diversity due to a genetic bottleneck, founder
effect, inbreeding, and genetic drift. As the number of polymorphic markers and
the level of allele polymorphism are low, the set of microsatellites is not yet
suitable for individual identification. The testing of further markers is needed
and more fallow deer samples from different regions should be examined, too. | en_US |
