A fast and reliable PCR method based on SINEs detection for the discrimination of buffalo, cattle, goat and sheep species in dairy products

Objective: Aim of present study was the set up of a fast and reliable protocol using species-specific markers for the quali-quantitative analysis of DNA and the detection of ruminant biological components in dairy products. For this purpose, the promoter of the gene coding for the -lactoalbumin (LALBA) was chosen as possible candidate for the presence of Short Interpersed Elements (SINEs). Methods DNA was isolated from somatic cells of 120 individual milk samples of cattle (30), Mediterranean river buffalo (30), goat (30) and sheep (30) and the gene promoter region (about 600/700 bp) of α-lactalbumin (LALBA) (from about 600 bp upstream of exon 1) has been sequenced. For the development of a single PCR protocol that allows the simultaneous identification of DNA from the four species of ruminants, the following internal primers pair were used: 5’-CACTGATCTTAAAGCTCAGGTT-3’ (forward) and 5’-TCAGAGTAGGCCACAGAAG-3’ (reverse). Results Sequencing results of LALBA gene promoter region confirmed the presence of SINEs as monomorphic “within” and variable in size “among” the selected species. Amplicon lengths were 582 bp in cattle, 592 bp in buffalo, 655 in goat and 729 bp in sheep. PCR specificity was demonstrated by the detection of trace amounts of species-specific DNA from mixed sources (0.25 ng/l). Conclusion We developed a rapid PCR protocol for the quali-quantitative analysis of DNA and the traceability of dairy products using a species-specific marker with only one pair of primers. Our results validate the proposed technique as a suitable tool for a simple and inexpensive (economic) detection of animal origin components in foodstuffs.