Non-invasive age estimation based on fecal DNA using methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting for Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins

Age is necessary information for the study of life history of wild animals. A general method to estimate the age of odontocetes is counting dental growth layer groups (GLGs). However, this method is highly invasive as it requires the capture and handling of individuals to collect their teeth. Recently, the development of DNA-based age estimation methods has been actively studied as an alternative to such invasive methods, of which many have used biopsy samples. However, if DNA-based age estimation can be developed from fecal samples, age estimation can be performed without touching or disrupting individuals, thus establishing an entirely non-invasive method. We developed an age estimation model using the methylation rate of two gene regions, GRIA2 and CDKN2A, measured through methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting (MS-HRM) from fecal samples of wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus). The age of individuals was known through conducting longitudinal individual ide..., , , # Non-invasive age estimation based on fecal DNA using methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting for Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins.

Authors: Genfu Yagi, Huiyuan Qi, Kana Arai, Yuki F. Kita, Kazunobu Kogi, Tadamichi Morisaka*, Motoi Yoshioka, Miho Inoue-Murayama*
Corresponding authors: Tadamichi Morisaka (Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan; e-mail:[e-mail]), Miho Inoue-Murayama (Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto 606-8203, Japan; e-mail: mailto:[e-mail])

File creation: This file was generated in 2023-07-09 by Genfu Yagi

ABSTRACT
Age is necessary information for the study of life history of wild animals. A general method to estimate the age of odontocetes is counting dental growth layer groups (GLGs). However, this method is highly invasive as it requires the capture and handling of individuals to collect their teeth. Recently, the development of DNA-based age estimation methods has b...