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Planta Med 2010; 76(15): 1784-1786
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1249806
Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
Letters
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Using DNA Barcoding to Identify Species within Euphorbiaceae

Xiaohui Pang1 , Jingyuan Song1 , Yingjie Zhu1 , Caixiang Xie1 , Shilin Chen1
  • 1Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P. R. China
Further Information

Publication History

received February 5, 2010 revised March 3, 2010

accepted March 13, 2010

Publication Date:
08 April 2010 (online)

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Abstract

In this study, we tested the applicability of four DNA regions (rbcL, matK, ITS, and ITS2) as barcodes for identifying species within Euphorbiaceae. Based on assessments of the specific genetic divergence, the DNA barcoding gap, and the ability for species discrimination, the present results affirmed that ITS/ITS2 is a potential barcode for the Euphorbiaceae species. This study also provided a large-scale test to evaluate the effectiveness of ITS/ITS2 for differentiating species within Euphorbiaceae. Of the 1183 plant samples collected from 871 species in 66 diverse genera, ITS/ITS2 successfully identified > 90 % and 100 % of them at the species and genus levels, respectively. Therefore, our research indicates that use of the ITS/ITS2 region is a powerful technique for Euphorbiaceae identification.

Key words

DNA barcoding - species identification - Euphorbiaceae - intra‐/interspecific genetic divergence

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Prof. PhD Shilin Chen

Institute of Medicinal Plant Development
Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences

No. 151 Malianwa North Road, Haidian District

100193 Beijing

China

Phone: + 86 10 62 89 97 00

Fax: + 86 10 62 89 97 76

Email: slchen@implad.ac.cn

    www.thieme-connect.de/ejournals/toc/plantamedica