ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 January 1985
Page Count: 5

Phenotyping Phosphoglucose Isomerase in West Coast Cervids for Species Identification and Individualization
Pex, JO
Criminalist, Oregon State Police, Crime Detection Laboratory, OR

Wolfe, JR
Chemist III, Alaska Department of Public Safety, Division of Fish and Wildlife Protection, Crime Laboratory, AK

(Received 30 March 1984; accepted 4 June 1984)

Abstract

Phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI) from 111 Columbia blacktail deer, 65 mule deer, 21 Sitka blacktail deer, 100 moose, 46 elk, 75 caribou, 46 reindeer, and 2 whitetail deer was examined using cellulose acetate electrophoresis. Mule deer and Columbia blacktail deer exhibited a biallelic polymorphism at the PGI-1 locus. Allele frequencies were 0.18 and 0.82 for Columbia blacktail deer and 0.70 and 0.30 for mule deer. No PGI variation was present in the other cervids examined, except for a single caribou variant. PGI phenotyping can be of value in individualizing meat from mule and blacktail deer for wildlife law enforcement. Comparison of PGI mobilities can also be used to differentiate between several of the monomorphic species, and can differentiate between beef and all the cervids except elk.

Keywords:
criminalistics, phosphoglucose isomerase, big game animals, deer, elk, moose, caribou, reindeer, beef, enzymes, isozymes, phenotyping, electrophoresis

Paper ID: JFS10971J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS10971J
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