Joint Experimental Molecular Unit (JEMU)

Laboratory facilities

The Joint Experimental Molecular Unit (JEMU) has access to 5 laboratories:

- two laboratories (pre- and post-PCR) in the RMCA,

- two laboratories (pre- and post-PCR) in the RBINS and

- one archive DNA laboratory in RBINS. It is a laboratory equipped with UV light and a ventilator for positive pressure airflow especially destinated to work with sensitive old museum tissue samples.

Know-how

DNA extractions of museum specimens from vertebrates (dried soft tissues, feathers, bones, teeth) and invertebrates using  commercial kits (spin-columns in individual or 96-well plate formats, salting-out) or phénol-chloroform methods.

PCR, gradient PCR, primer designing and various PCR optimisation procedures for degraded DNA or diluted DNA solutions or DNA extracts containing inhibitors.

Quantitative and qualitative DNA evaluation by micro-volume spectrophotometry or electrophoresis on agarose gels.

Sequencing with an ABI 3130xl Genetic Analyser.

Tissue and DNA storage in dry conditions and at -80 °C.

Sequence edition, alignment, analysis (distance comparison, species identification by DNA barcoding, phylogenetic analysis with parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian posterior probabilities, haplotype network, etc.), databasing (in Genbank, or BOLD).

Highlights

DNA sequences were successfully obtained from a wide range of archived biologic material. Here is a selection:

 Type material

 Ansorge’s cusimanse, Crossarchus ansorgei nigricolor (Herpestidae), holotype, RMCA: 88.014-M-0001, coll. Date 1984, genetic markers cytochrome b (376 bp), 16S rRNA (469 bp)

 Prigogine’s nightjar, Caprimulgus prigoginei (Strigiformes), holotype, RMCA 78975, coll. Date: 1955, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (297 bp)

 Phodilus prigoginei (Strigiformes), holotype, RMCA 55987, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I

 Ploceus ruweti (Passeriformes), holotype, RMCA 113379, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I

 Ploceus feminina (Passeriformes), syntype, RMCA 1675, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I 

 Ploceus weynsi (Passeriformes), syntype, RMCA 419, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I 

 Zoothera guttata lippensi (Passeriformes), holotype, RMCA 74-41-A-1, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I

 Andropadus hallae (Passeriformes), holotype, RMCA 124702, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I

 Apalis schoutedeni (Passeriformes), holotype, RMCA 12406, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I

 Francolinus camerunensis ruandae (Galliformes), holotype, RMCA 37745, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I

 Melignomon zenkeri (Piciformes), holotype, RMCA 95179, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I

 Madagascar water snake, Liopholidophis dimorphus (Serpentes), holotype, ZSM 252/2004, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (664 bp)

 Liophidium maintikibo (Serpentes), holotype, ZSM 2052/2007, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (664 bp)

 Liophidium pattoni (Serpentes), holotype, ZSM 186/2009, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (664 bp)

  Thamnosophis mavotenda (Serpentes), holotype, ZSM 127/2006, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (664 bp)

 Furcifer timoni (Chamaeleonidae), holotype, ZSM 2103/2007, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (664 bp)

 Typhlops rajeryi (Serpentes), holotype, ZSM1589/2008, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (664 bp)

 Typhlops andasibensis (Serpentes), paratype, ZFMK 59787, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (664 bp)

 Lygodactylus sp. (Gekkonidae), ZSM F2324, species under description, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (664 bp)

 Bora’s day-gecko, Phelsuma borai (Gekkonidae), holotype, ZSM 103/2006, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (664 bp)

 Day-gecko, Phelsuma sp. (Gekkonidae), ZSM F1667, species under description, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (664 bp)

 Paracontias kankana (Scincidae), holotype, ZSM 1810/2008, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (664 bp)

Old material

 Shikra, Accipiter badius badius (Falconiformes), RBINS 2659, Coll. Date: 1845, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (100 bp) 

 African Goshawk, Accipiter tachiro tachiro (Falconiformes), RBINS4948, Coll. Date: 1852, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (298 bp) 

 Blue Duiker, Cephalophus monticola (Cephalophidae), genetic marker cytochrome b gene (470 bp)

Feather material

  Congo peafowl, Afropavo congensis (Phasianidae), RBINS MPLMFLKPC1, genetic marker 16S rRNA (570 bp)

 Solenopsis sp. (Formicidae), RBINS : ML : 33688, genetic marker Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (658 bp)

 Species identification of bird from bird strikes - collision with airplanes (aviation safety)

 Species identification of insect larvae (pest identification, forensic science)

 Species identification of smoked meat (“viande boucanée”) confiscated on markets (food and custom controls)

 Species identification of archived specimens (collection quality control)