Metabarcoding
Definition
High-throughput sequencing of a barcode locus from a bulk environmental or mixture sample, identifying all taxa present from a reference database. Used for herbal product authentication and detection of mixed or undeclared CITES-listed ingredients.
- Common plant markers
- trnL and rbcL
- Common animal/environmental markers
- COI and 12S rRNA
- Sample types
- Bulk soil, environmental DNA, herbal products, mixtures
Common questions
What is metabarcoding and how does it work?+
Metabarcoding is high-throughput DNA sequencing of a standardised genetic marker from a complex environmental or mixture sample. It reads DNA from many organisms simultaneously and uses a reference database to identify all species present at once. Common markers include COI and 12S rRNA for animals, or trnL and rbcL for plants.
How is metabarcoding used in forensic plant investigations?+
In plant casework, metabarcoding sequences DNA from bulk soil or environmental samples to create a community-level species profile. It can detect multiple plant species from a single soil sample and is especially useful for authenticating herbal products or identifying undeclared CITES-listed plant ingredients in herbal mixtures.
Why is metabarcoding better than testing for a single species?+
Metabarcoding identifies dozens or hundreds of species from one sample in a single test, rather than running separate tests for each suspected organism. This makes it far more efficient for environmental samples or complex mixtures where the exact species composition is unknown.
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- DNA barcoding
- Identification of an unknown plant fragment by sequencing short standard genome regions (rbcL and matK for plants, ITS for fungi). Routinely used...
- eDNA (environmental DNA)
- DNA shed by organisms into the surrounding environment through skin cells, mucus, faeces, urine, or decomposition. Collected from water, soil, air, or...
- Environmental DNA (eDNA)
- DNA extracted from an environmental matrix (soil, water, air filter) rather than from a discrete specimen. For plant forensics, eDNA metabarcoding generates...
- matK
- Maturase K gene, located in the chloroplast trnK intron. The second CBOL-approved plant barcode marker, with an approximately 870 bp diagnostic amplicon....
- Microsatellite (SSR) profiling
- Detection of variation at short tandem repeat loci in the nuclear genome. SSR loci are codominant, highly polymorphic, and reproducible across labs....
- Next-generation sequencing (NGS)
- High-throughput sequencing technologies (Illumina, Ion Torrent, Oxford Nanopore) that produce millions of reads in parallel. For plant forensics, they enable whole-chloroplast genome...
- rbcL
- A chloroplast gene encoding the large subunit of RuBisCO (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase). One of the two CBOL-standardized plant barcode loci. Widely amplifiable but...
- SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool)
- Open-source software for recording, analysing, and reporting on ranger patrol activity and wildlife observations. Allows adaptive management of patrol effort based on...
Explained in these topics
- Emerging Plant Genomics in CaseworkSequencing a mixture of DNA from many organisms simultaneously and using bioinformatics to assign each read to a taxon. For plant eDNA, the trnL or rbcL marker...
- CITES Flora and Plant Product ForensicsHigh-throughput sequencing of a barcode locus from a bulk environmental or mixture sample, identifying all taxa present from a reference database. Used for her...
- Environmental DNA and Emerging Detection TechnologiesHigh-throughput sequencing of a standardised genetic marker (typically COI or 12S rRNA) from a complex environmental sample, producing a list of species detect...