关键词: DNA条形码, 鼠疫疫源地, 啮齿动物, 细胞色素C氧化酶亚基Ⅰ基因

Abstract: Objective To explore the feasibility of applying DNA barcoding technology to the classification and identification of rodent species in the plague foci in Gansu province, China. Methods In 2017, rodents were collected from the plague foci and non-plague foci in Gansu province; whole rodents and their liver were made into specimens and preserved. Genomic DNA was extracted from the rodent liver; the cytochrome C oxidase subunitⅠ(COⅠ) gene was amplified by consensus primer polymerase chain reaction, and then sequenced. The sequencing results were compared with the DNA barcodes of other rodent species in the GenBank by BLAST algorithm, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed. Results A total of 164 rodent samples were collected from four different habitats in nine cities (districts or counties) in Gansu province, including Muridae (3 species), Dipodidae (2 species), Cricetidae (4 species), Sciuridae (3 species), Gerbillidae (1 species), Spalacidae (1 species), and Ochotonidae of the Lagomorpha (1 species). The phylogenetic tree constructed from the above 164 samples formed 15 highly supportive branches, which was in accordance with the results of morphological identification. Conclusion It is feasible to apply DNA barcoding to the exact identification of rodent samples, which can facilitate the study of classification and phylogenetic relationships of rodents.

Key words: DNA barcoding, Plague foci, Rodent, Cytochrome C oxidase subunit Ⅰ gene