Evaluating the Discriminatory Power of DNA Barcodes in Panicoideae, Poaceae

DNA barcoding is a powerful technique for species identification with little morphological knowledge, by using short sections of DNA from a specific region of the genome. Two core barcode markers, rbcL and matK, and a supplementary nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region were used to examine the effectiveness of the markers for Poaceae barcoding using 133 individuals of 36 taxa across 23 genera of Korean Panicoideae. We also aimed to establish a DNA barcode database for the major weeds of Korean Panicoideae. All three markers revealed a good level of amplification and sequencing success. As a single DNA marker, the ITS region achieved the highest species resolution, followed by matK. Resolving power was increased when nrlTS was incorporated into the core barcode markers. The best resolving power was obtained with a combination of matK ＋ ITS with 89.7%, followed by rbcL ＋ matK ＋ ITS with 89.3%. Thus, rbcL may be not necessary as a DNA barcode for Panicoideae species identification, when considering cost and effectiveness. Instead, a combination of matK ＋ ITS is proposed as the most suitable DNA barcode for the species identification of Panicoideae, Poaceae. We conclude that DNA barcoding using a combination of matK ＋ ITS could be one of powerful techniques for the identification of Poaceae species, The barcode sequences were deposited to the National Center for Biotechnology Information （NCBI） database for public use.

Authentication of Medicinal Plants by DNA-based Markers and Genomics

For the protection of consumers and developments of relevant industry, authentication of medicinal plants is a critical issue. This review covers various aspects of authentication methods and techniques based on molecular biology and genomics with special emphasis on molecular biology techniques including genome-based authentication, microchip-based authentication, DNA barcoding, and their applications.