International Journal of Biotechnology Research Vol. 2(4), pp. 050-059, June 2014 ISSN 2328-3505 ©2014 Academe Research Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Variation of faecal genomic DNA amount between West African Colobine and Cercopithecine monkeys

Sery Gonedelé Bi^1,2*, Kouakou Tiékoura¹, Oulo Alla N’Nan¹, Didier Sokouri¹, Jesus Inza Fofana³, Marcel Lolo¹, Félix Gnangbé¹ and Simon-Pierre N’Guetta¹

¹Laboratoire de Génétique, Université Félix Houphouët Boigny, Abidjan, 22 BP 582 Abidjan 22, Côte d’Ivoire.

²Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire, 01 BP 1303 Abidjan 01.

³Université Péléforo Gbon Coulibaly, BP 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: gonedelebi@yahoo.fr. Tel: 00(225) 03 48 89 23. Fax: 00(225) 23 45 12 11.

Accepted 9 May, 2014

Abstract

DNA extracted from non-invasive samples, in particular feaces, is usually of poor quality and the trace amount of target DNA often leads to PCR errors. Such errors are especially problematic for genetic census studies and can create a false individual or species designation. To evaluate the non-invasive faecal samples of West African primate species as a valuable source of DNA, faecal samples of nine primate species were collected in Taï National Park and in three forest groves in Côte d’Ivoire. DNA was extracted from faecal sample using Qiamp Stool kits. The amounts of amplifiable genomic DNA obtained in extracts were measured using a real-time quantitative PCR assay. PCR products with the expected range of fragment length were treated as successful amplification. Based on 12S assay, faecal samples collected from Cercopithecine (Cercopithecus campbelli, Cercopithecus petaurista, Cercopithecus diana) provide less amplifiable DNA (mean: 60.88 pg/µL; range: 0.5 - 445 pg/µL) when compared to Colobine (Procolobus verus, Piliocolobus badius, Colobus polykomos, Colobus vellerosus) with mean of 26 306.69 pg/µL and range of 18.5 - 210 365.5 pg/µL) (P < 0.0001). The initial amount of DNA found in colobine monkey fecal sample is far greater than that found in Cercopithecine faecal samples and suggests that the diet composition of these monkeys contribute to the difference in the amount of their faecal genomic DNA.

Key words: Non-invasive sampling, quantitative PCR, DNA, colobine, cercopithecine.