Isolation of DNA from fallen feathers and the impact of environmental factors on its polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplifiability

Authors

  • Himanshee Shrivastava Animal Biotechnology Centre, Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
  • Ajit Pratap Singh Animal Biotechnology Centre, Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
  • Jhanak Chaveriya Animal Biotechnology Centre, Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
  • Ankur Singh Animal Biotechnology Centre, Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
  • Kush Shrivastava Animal Biotechnology Centre, Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
  • Tripti Jain Animal Biotechnology Centre, Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
  • Bikash Ranjan Prusty Animal Biotechnology Centre, Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31783/ELSR.2025.1112127

Keywords:

birds, DNA quality, fallen feathers, feather DNA

Abstract

This study aimed to isolate genomic DNA from fallen feathers collected from various avian species and locations, examining the influence of collection time and location on DNA quality and quantity. The DNA quality and quantity were assessed using a nanodrop spectrophotometer, and PCR amplification was conducted using universal GAPDH primers to evaluate the samples suitability for downstream applications. This study showed DNA concentrations ranging from 15 to 254 ng/µl with OD260/280 values between 1.38 and 1.94. Higher DNA yields were linked to samples collected from nearby, low-traffic areas, indicating that transit time and environmental exposure affect DNA quality. Pigeons and parrots had higher PCR amplification success compared to Kadaknath and desi chickens. It was concluded that feathers as a viable source of DNA for avian species, emphasizing the importance of optimal collection and storage conditions. A multi-sampling approach is recommended to counteract environmental impacts on DNA quality.

References

[1] C. Peters, H. Nelson, B. Rusk and A. Muir (2020). A novel method to optimise the utility of underused moulted plumulaceous feather samples for genetic analysis in bird conservation. Conserv. Genet. Resour., 12: 457-467.

[2] K. Shrivastava, S. N. S. Parmar and A. B. Shrivastav (2012). Faeces as a source of DNA for wildlife conservation: A brief perspective. Life Sci. Bull., 9: 52-54.

[3] K. Bohmann, A. Evans, M. T. P. Gilbert, G. R. Carvalho, S. Creer, M. Knapp and D. W. Yu et al., (2014). Environmental DNA for wildlife biology and biodiversity monitoring. Trends Ecol. Evol., 29: 358-367.

[4] M. B. Horvath, B. Martinez-Cruz, J. J. Negro, L. Kalmar and J. A. Godoy (2005). An overlooked DNA source for non-invasive genetic analysis in birds. J. Avian Biol., 36: 84-88.

[5] J. R. Adams, C. S. Goldberg, W. R. Bosworth, J. L. Rachlow and L. P. Waits (2011). Rapid species identification of pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) from faecal pellet DNA Mol. Ecol. Resour., 11: 808-812.

[6] K. G. Poole, D. M. Reynolds, G. Mowat and D. Paetkau (2011). Estimating mountain goat abundance using DNA from fecal pellets. J. Wildl. Manag., 75: 1527-1534.

[7] N. Bello, O. Francino and A. Sánchez (2001). Isolation of genomic DNA from feathers. J. Vet. Diagn. Invest., 13: 162-164.

[8] C. F. Speller, G. P. Nicholas and D. Y. Yang (2011). Feather barbs as a good source of mtDNA for bird species identification in forensic wildlife investigations. Investig. Genet., 2: 16. doi: 10.1186/2041-2223-2-16.

[9] N. J. Rawlence, J. R. Wood, K. N. Armstrong and A. Cooper (2009). DNA content and distribution in ancient feathers and potential to reconstruct the plumage of extinct avian taxa. Proc. Bio. Sci., 276: 3395-3402.

[10] G. Segelbacher (2002). Noninvasive genetic analysis in birds: testing reliability of feather samples. Mol. Ecol. Notes, 2: 367-369.

[11] N. Vili, E. Nemesházi, S. Kovács, M. Horváth, L. Kalmár and K. Szabó (2013). Factors affecting DNA quality in feathers used for non-invasive sampling. J. Ornithol., 154: 587-595.

[12] E. K. Hanson and J. Ballantyne (2005). Whole genome amplification strategy for forensic genetic analysis using single or few cell equivalents of genomic DNA. Anal. Biochem., 346: 246-257.

[13] S. B. De Volo, R. T. Reynolds, M. R. Douglas and M. F. Antolin (2008). An improved extraction method to increase DNA yield from molted feathers. Condor, 110: 762-767.

[14] P. Taberlet and J. Bouvet (1991). A single plucked feather as a source of DNA for bird genetic studies. Auk, 108: 959-960.

[15] F. E. Hogan, R. Cooke, C. P. Burridge and J. A. Norman (2008). Optimizing the use of shed feathers for genetic analysis. Mol. Ecol. Resour., 8: 561-567.

Downloads

Published

2025-06-24

Issue

Vol 11, Issue 1, 2025

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Author (s)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Copyright © The Author(s). Effective from 1 July 2026, articles published in Emergent Life Sciences Research (ELSR) are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, sharing, distribution, reproduction, and adaptation in any medium or format, provided that appropriate credit is given to the original author(s) and the source, a link to the license is provided, and any changes made are indicated.

Articles published before 1 July 2026 remain subject to the license applicable at the time of their original publication, including the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), where applicable.

How to Cite

Isolation of DNA from fallen feathers and the impact of environmental factors on its polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplifiability . (2025). Emergent Life Sciences Research. , 21-27. https://doi.org/10.31783/ELSR.2025.1112127