https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232731356_Barcoding_of_the_cytochrome_oxidase_I_(COI)_indicates_a_recent_introduction_of_Ciona_savignyi_into_New_Zealand_and_provides_a_rapid_method_for_Ciona_species_discrimination
Article Barcoding of the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) indicates a rece...
DNA barcoding is one of the ways to discriminate different species. In this case morphological similarity is not significant. Only nucleotide substitutians r in the DNA chains are significant in this technique. Cytochrome oxidase I is the most widely used molecular marker for barcoding for animals nowadays, but another barcoding markers also exist. But in the case of reconstructing phylogenetic relations between species, using COI as phylogenetic marker is not good idea.
You must to try to apply COI as most widely used marker. In case absence of differences between species are two ways of solving this problem: 1) this two species really is only one; 2) try to change marker and repeat the procedure of DNA barcoding.
Andrii, the goal of this paper - amongst others - was to try and find a way to quickly and efficiently identify Ciona savignyi from Ciona intestinalis for issues of biosecurity. Because these two species are so similar in morphology our lab group wanted to develop a method that would allow someone who had little experience in morphological taxonomy, but with access to simple molecular tools, to easily distinguish between then.
In New Zealand, there were cases where C. savignyi was mistaken for C. intestinalis, and it wasn't until DNA barcoding was applied that they were able to be truly identified. As is shown in this article, the simple PCR assay developed can confidently distinguish between the two species (see Fig. 3 of the Smith et al. 2012 article).
Joshua, DNA barcoding really is the rapid way to distinguish species, including also cryptic and morphologically similar species. In this way knowledges about morphological features of these species are not necessary for researcer at all. The paper shows that is possible to differentiate such two these species throw barcoding using COI as marker. And I think, that you may to apply such technique in your work
Best regards.
Andrii, yes I am very aware of that. We developed the assay BECAUSE THE CIONA SPECIES ARE SO SIMILAR. For this very reason, we wanted to show that without morphological information, a researcher could simply use a quick PCR assay to distinguish them. In regard to your initial comment, we were not trying to create a phylogenetic tree, but simply find a definite point of difference between the two species - so was no issues with COI being a poor marker for this particular purpose.
Thanks.
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