DNA-FINGERPRINTING OF ANIMAL GENOMES BY CA-REPEAT PRIMED POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION

CA-repeat primed polymerase chain reaction (CAP-PCR), using degenerate primers which anneal at the ends of (CA)(n) sequences in eukaryotic g enomes, was attempted to assess its potential to monitor the genomic p olymorphisms in various animals. Three mammalian, three avian, one fis h and one insect species were examined and all showed primer-specific DNA fingerprints by CAP-PCR. Polymorphic bands observed in a laborator y-bred vole family were segregated in Mendelian manner. The present CA P-PCR DNA fingerprinting therefore is a simple and useful method for e xamining genomic variations in most animals without prerequisite knowl edge of DNA sequences.