DNA PREPARATION AND SEQUENCING FROM SCENT MARKS IN THE GIANT PANDA
大熊猫气味标记DNA的制备和序列分析

Scent marks secreted by giant pandas may function as communication among individuals. We collected nine scent mark samples from seven giant pandas with different sampling methods. DNAs were successfully prepared with INSTAGENE kit. The mitochondrial DNA D loop, cytochrome b gene and Thr tRNA gene regions were amplified and the PCR products were purified and sequenced. Our results suggest that DNA from scent marks can be obtained from samples collected with different methods. A cotton stick is a best sampling way compared with other methods. Our work shows a new simple and efficient DNA source for studying on genetic diversity of giant pandas.