Samples and results of species identification using standard PCR, PEC-P, and rescue PCR.

Blank cells indicate no DNA amplification and, thus no species identification. Asterisks (*) denote samples for which the reverse sequence failed, but where species identification was still possible. Dagger (†) denotes samples for which the forward sequence failed, but where species identification was still possible. Double dagger (‡) denotes a sequence with a gap in the center, but where species identification was still possible. Section sign (§) indicates the observation of possible post-mortem damage in the sequence at the position(s) noted relative to a rainbow trout mitochondrial genome reference sequence [Genbank accession DQ288271; 35]. To aid in interpreting this table a few examples are worth detailing. For example, weighing 51.3 mg, sample 44–1 required two rounds of repeat silica extraction to sufficiently remove inhibition and was identified as Chinook salmon with standard PCR, but failed to amplify with any other treatment (dilution, PEC-P, or rescue PCR). In a second example, the full concentration eluate of sample 597–6 was deemed to be uninhibited and was uniquely identified as Chinook salmon when the 1:10 eluate was amplified with rescue PCR. This amplicon revealed possible damage with a C>T “transition” observed at np 610. In the last example, the full concentration eluate of sample 1501–2 was deemed to be uninhibited. Species identification of this sample was possible using standard PCR on the 1:10 dilute eluate and at full concentration using PEC-P and rescue PCR. The amplicon produced from the 1:10 dilute eluate revealed G>A damage at np 687. (XLSX)