Canadian researchers participate in a consortium called internationial
"The bar code of life", the purpose of which is to gather information
Genetic given a global bank, which distinguishes plants
animals. This project is based on a new technique that allows
analyze tissue samples of a few millimeters and deduce
DNA base pairs, unique to each species.
The first promising results were obtained by a professor
University of Guelph, Paul Hebert. During a study carried out on specimens
the Royal Ontario Museum, he discovered the four new barcode
species, the observed specimens having been clumsily associated up to now
to other species.
DNA barcodes are considered to be much more efficient
than the morphological keys, used until now to identify
species. However, at this stage the major problem raised by the codes
bars remain the cost. Indeed, in the context of a traditional analysis
the cost per specimen is $ 2, while using bar codes
of DNA the same analysis would cost about $ 5.
However, given the scope of the new studies that could result from this
method, the researchers are confident and believe that walking
supply and demand will bring prices down quickly. Indeed it is
already possible to compare DNA barcodes with each other, and determine
what percentage of genetic difference between two species. By
Furthermore, a term scientists think use this bank
data to limit the spread of emerging diseases and fight more
effectively against bioterrorism.
Sources: Biotech Ontarion, http://www.biotechontario.com/
Editor: Elodie Pinot OTTAWA, sciefran@ambafrance-ca.org