Open Access
ARTICLE
DNA-Barcoding of Some Medicinal Plant Species in Saudi Arabia Using rbcL and matK Genes
Abdulrahman Alasmari*
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, 71491, Saudi Arabia
* Corresponding Author: Abdulrahman Alasmari. Email:
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2020, 89(4), 1059-1081. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2020.010952
Received 09 April 2020; Accepted 22 June 2020; Issue published 09 November 2020
Abstract
In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), thousands of plants are considered to have therapeutic value. The ambiguous use of identification mainly
morphological characteristics of many plants has resulted in the adulteration
and displacement of plant products which undermine their therapeutic value
and weak documentation of plant resources. The aims of this study were therefore
to evaluate genetic variability and explore the phylogeographic architecture for
Saudi medicinal plant samples using
rbcL and
matK genes as barcodes for genomic identification. The
matK and
rbcL sequences collected for these samples were
used as key markers for examining the relationship between Saudi medicinal plant
species based on genetic diversity. During our study we were successful in identifying and documenting 4 different species (
Foeniculum vulgare, Nitraria retusa,
Dodonaea viscosa, and Rumex nervosus) located in Saudi Arabia using DNA barcoding technique. A total number of 8 sequences were obtained with a total
sequence length of 6176 bp, where it ranged from 617 bp to 878 bp with an average length of 772 bp. The total number of rbcL sequences length is 2801 bp,
where it ranges from 617 bp to 807 bp with an average length of 700.2 bp.
Out of the 4 plant samples used, only three samples were identified correctly
on the species level with an identity percentage higher than 95% using
rbcL gene.
Additionally, 4
matK sequences have been retrieved belong to 4 species. The total
number of matK sequences length is 3375 bp, where it ranges from 819 bp to
878 bp with an average length of 843.8 bp. Out of the 4 plant samples used, only
two samples were identified correctly on the species level with an identity percentage higher than 98% using
matK gene. Both
rbcL and
matK have been able to
identify most of our collected plant samples by genus, and some by species. Using
only one DNA-barcoding technique was not reliable for plant identification,
where
matK and
rbcL must be used as a dual DNA-barcoding procedure.
Keywords
Cite This Article
Alasmari, A. (2020). DNA-Barcoding of Some Medicinal Plant Species in Saudi Arabia Using
rbcL and
matK Genes.
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, 89(4), 1059–1081. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2020.010952
Citations