Application of DNA Fingerprinting for Laboratory Animals

Abstract

Genomic DNA was extracted from laboratory animals (rabbit, mastomys and Syrian hamster) and digested with several restriction endonucleases. DNA fingerprinting was applied to the digested DNA using repetitive sequence in the bacteriophage M13 as a probe. As a result, the banding patterns in these DNA fingerprints were highly polymorphic and specific to each individual. The same banding pattern was observed in the liver DNA and the blood DNA in the same individual. From these results, this method seems to be usefull in strain identification and genetic monitoring not only for laboratory mouse and rat but also for developing laboratory animals such as rabbit, mastomys and hamsters. Parentage test of two rabbit families (Japanese white × New Zealand white) confirmed that all bands of Fl were derived from either parent.