Additional information and reprint requests:
Sandeep Kumar Gupta
Wildlife Institute of India
Dehra Dun, 248 001 Uttrakhand
India
E-mail: [email protected]

^†

Funding provided by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Central Zoo Authority (CZA), Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India.

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Abstract

Abstract: In this study, we describe a forensic case dealing with the identification of the source of the processed ivory object by DNA analysis. Two pieces of Lord Krishna’s idols from a shop were confiscated by an investigating agency of the Indian government and forwarded to us to identify the source of its origin. We succeeded in isolating DNA from both processed ivory idols by using the phenol/chloroform DNA extraction method. The extracted DNA was subjected to PCR amplification using an elephant-specific mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop marker. DNA sequence analysis of the amplified fragment of mtDNA D-loop region confirmed that the idols were consistent with Asian elephant with 99% similarity.

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Volume56, Issue5

September 2011

Pages 1343-1345

Identification of the Source of Ivory Idol by DNA Analysis*

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Identification of the Source of Ivory Idol by DNA Analysis*

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