A beetle for prosecution: exogenous DNA detection from larval and adult gut of a Neotropical carrion beetle

This study evaluated whether the Neotropical carrion beetleOxelytrum discicolle (Silphidae) has the potential for the detection of exogenous DNA into the gut. The whole gut or the gut contents were extracted fromO. discicolle larvae and adult previously fed on pig carcass. The pig DNA recovery rate was 33.3% in larvae and 25% in adults, indicating that the carrion beetle ’s gut may be useful for DNA identification of ingested food. Samples with the whole gut or only gut contents showed the same DNA recovery rate. Exogenous DNA from the whole gut was recovered from samples stored in ethanol at -20 ºC for 11 days, showing that samples ofO. discicolle can be stored in the forensic laboratory without loss in DNA recovery rate.
Source: Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology - Category: Forensic Medicine Source Type: research