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An evaluation of target specificity and sensitivity of three qPCR assays for detecting environmental DNA from Northern Pike (Esox lucius)

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An Erratum to this article was published on 16 March 2016

Abstract

We developed and evaluated three qPCR assays for detecting environmental DNA from northern pike (Esox lucius). The assays target the cytochrome oxidase 1 (EluCOI), control region (EluCR), and cytochrome b (EluCytB) genes of the mitochondrial DNA. Target specificity, assessed using the fluorescence signal (at 45 cycles) to noise (at 1 cycle) ratio (S/N), showed strong amplification in northern pike (mean S/N = 2.62, 3.52, 2.69 for EluCOI, EluCR, EluCytB). The mean S/N estimates from fifteen non-esocid freshwater fishes were about 1.0, as expected for no amplification. EluCR showed evidence of amplification (mean S/N = 3.16) in muskellunge (Esox masquinongy). The sensitivity tests indicated EluCOI has a higher detection probability than EluCR and EluCytB at low (20 copies/reaction) copy number. The results favor using EluCOI although EluCytB and EluCR are viable assays for the detection of northern pike eDNA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Conservation Genetics Laboratory, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK, 99503, USA

    Jeffrey B. Olsen, Cara J. Lewis & John K. Wenburg

  2. Division of Sport Fish, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 43961 Kalifornsky Beach Road, Suite B, Soldotna, AK, 99669, USA

    Robert L. Massengill & Kristine J. Dunker

Authors
  1. Jeffrey B. Olsen
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  2. Cara J. Lewis
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  3. Robert L. Massengill
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  4. Kristine J. Dunker
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  5. John K. Wenburg
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeffrey B. Olsen.

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Olsen, J.B., Lewis, C.J., Massengill, R.L. et al. An evaluation of target specificity and sensitivity of three qPCR assays for detecting environmental DNA from Northern Pike (Esox lucius). Conservation Genet Resour 7, 615–617 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-015-0459-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-015-0459-x

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