NONINVASIVE GIANT PANDA PATERNITY EXCLUSION

Giant panda hair samples obtained by noninvasive methods served as a s ource of DNA for amplification of seven giant panda microsatellite loc i utilizing the polymerase chain reaction. Thirteen giant pandas held in Chinese zoos were tested for identification of paternity. Some male s listed as sires have been excluded as the biological father of capti ve-born giant pandas. Because of the death of some potential sires, pa ternity is still not assigned for some giant pandas, although there is a high likelihood that paternity assignment could be made if postmort em samples are available for genetic analysis. The DNA microsatellite variation assayed by the test we have developed provides a rapid, high ly informative, and noninvasive method for paternity identification in giant pandas. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.