<i>Dentex dentex</i> Frauds: Establishment of a New DNA Barcoding Marker
Marina Ceruso,
Celestina Mascolo,
Pasquale De Luca,
Iolanda Venuti,
Elio Biffali,
Rosa Luisa Ambrosio,
Giorgio Smaldone,
Paolo Sordino,
Tiziana Pepe
Affiliations
Marina Ceruso
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, via F. Delpino, n.1, 80137 Naples, Italy
Celestina Mascolo
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, via F. Delpino, n.1, 80137 Naples, Italy
Pasquale De Luca
Department of Research Infrastructures for Marine Biological Resources, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy
Iolanda Venuti
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, via F. Delpino, n.1, 80137 Naples, Italy
Elio Biffali
Department of Research Infrastructures for Marine Biological Resources, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy
Rosa Luisa Ambrosio
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, via F. Delpino, n.1, 80137 Naples, Italy
Giorgio Smaldone
Department Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, via Università, n.100, Portici, 80055 Naples, Italy
Paolo Sordino
Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Sicily Marine Centre, via Consolare Pompea, 29, Villaggio Pace, 98167 Messina, Italy
Tiziana Pepe
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, via F. Delpino, n.1, 80137 Naples, Italy
The common dentex (Dentex dentex (Linnaeus, 1758)) is an iconic fish in the Mediterranean diet. Due to its commercial and organoleptic importance, this sparid is highly appreciated in European markets and is often subjected to species substitution frauds. Comparative mitogenomics is a suitable approach for identifying new and effective barcode markers. This study aimed to find a molecular tag useful for unequivocally discriminating the sparid species D. dentex. The comparison of the complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences of 16 sparid species allowed us to highlight the potential of the NAD2 gene for direct identification purposes. Common dentex-specific primers were created and successfully evaluated by end-point and real-rime PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) for several fish species, achieving amplification only in the D. dentex. The method proposed in this study appears fast, simple, and inexpensive and requires affordable instrumentation. This approach provides unambiguous results for the common dentex authentication without the sequencing step. The presence/absence assay for D. dentex can be executed in a few hours of lab work. Therefore, national authorities responsible for food safety and traceability could apply and make full use of DNA-testing methods for deterring operators from false seafood declarations.
