A PCR primer design method for identifying spider mite species using k-mer counting.

Using PCR to distinguish closely related species can be difficult because they may have very similar genomes. Advances in bioinformatics make it possible to design PCR primers that are species-specific. In this study, we developed a bioinformatics method for extracting species-specific primer candid...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Tomoko Matsuda, Hironori Sakamoto, Takumi Kayukawa, Yasuki Kitashima, Toshinori Kozaki, Tetsuo Gotoh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0321199
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850134298520190976
author Tomoko Matsuda
Hironori Sakamoto
Takumi Kayukawa
Yasuki Kitashima
Toshinori Kozaki
Tetsuo Gotoh
author_facet Tomoko Matsuda
Hironori Sakamoto
Takumi Kayukawa
Yasuki Kitashima
Toshinori Kozaki
Tetsuo Gotoh
author_sort Tomoko Matsuda
collection DOAJ
description Using PCR to distinguish closely related species can be difficult because they may have very similar genomes. Advances in bioinformatics make it possible to design PCR primers that are species-specific. In this study, we developed a bioinformatics method for extracting species-specific primer candidate sequences (i.e., unpaired primers that were specific to a single species) from RNA-Seq data sets of 19 species of spider mites (Acari, Tetranychidae). Using k-mer counting, we obtained between 257 and 48,621 species-specific unpaired primer candidates for the 19 species. We then manually obtained a second primer that was also species-specific. The primer pairs were then confirmed to work in the target species and not to work in the non-target species. Finally, species-specific primer pairs were obtained for 17 of the 19 species tested. Such species-specific primers may be used for practical species discrimination by optimizing multiplex PCR. Our primer design method is expected to be applicable to other taxa.
format Article
id doaj-art-df7db8f5a1864cf1bf700140a3f52830
institution OA Journals
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-df7db8f5a1864cf1bf700140a3f528302025-08-20T02:31:44ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01206e032119910.1371/journal.pone.0321199A PCR primer design method for identifying spider mite species using k-mer counting.Tomoko MatsudaHironori SakamotoTakumi KayukawaYasuki KitashimaToshinori KozakiTetsuo GotohUsing PCR to distinguish closely related species can be difficult because they may have very similar genomes. Advances in bioinformatics make it possible to design PCR primers that are species-specific. In this study, we developed a bioinformatics method for extracting species-specific primer candidate sequences (i.e., unpaired primers that were specific to a single species) from RNA-Seq data sets of 19 species of spider mites (Acari, Tetranychidae). Using k-mer counting, we obtained between 257 and 48,621 species-specific unpaired primer candidates for the 19 species. We then manually obtained a second primer that was also species-specific. The primer pairs were then confirmed to work in the target species and not to work in the non-target species. Finally, species-specific primer pairs were obtained for 17 of the 19 species tested. Such species-specific primers may be used for practical species discrimination by optimizing multiplex PCR. Our primer design method is expected to be applicable to other taxa.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0321199
spellingShingle Tomoko Matsuda
Hironori Sakamoto
Takumi Kayukawa
Yasuki Kitashima
Toshinori Kozaki
Tetsuo Gotoh
A PCR primer design method for identifying spider mite species using k-mer counting.
PLoS ONE
title A PCR primer design method for identifying spider mite species using k-mer counting.
title_full A PCR primer design method for identifying spider mite species using k-mer counting.
title_fullStr A PCR primer design method for identifying spider mite species using k-mer counting.
title_full_unstemmed A PCR primer design method for identifying spider mite species using k-mer counting.
title_short A PCR primer design method for identifying spider mite species using k-mer counting.
title_sort pcr primer design method for identifying spider mite species using k mer counting
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0321199
work_keys_str_mv AT tomokomatsuda apcrprimerdesignmethodforidentifyingspidermitespeciesusingkmercounting
AT hironorisakamoto apcrprimerdesignmethodforidentifyingspidermitespeciesusingkmercounting
AT takumikayukawa apcrprimerdesignmethodforidentifyingspidermitespeciesusingkmercounting
AT yasukikitashima apcrprimerdesignmethodforidentifyingspidermitespeciesusingkmercounting
AT toshinorikozaki apcrprimerdesignmethodforidentifyingspidermitespeciesusingkmercounting
AT tetsuogotoh apcrprimerdesignmethodforidentifyingspidermitespeciesusingkmercounting
AT tomokomatsuda pcrprimerdesignmethodforidentifyingspidermitespeciesusingkmercounting
AT hironorisakamoto pcrprimerdesignmethodforidentifyingspidermitespeciesusingkmercounting
AT takumikayukawa pcrprimerdesignmethodforidentifyingspidermitespeciesusingkmercounting
AT yasukikitashima pcrprimerdesignmethodforidentifyingspidermitespeciesusingkmercounting
AT toshinorikozaki pcrprimerdesignmethodforidentifyingspidermitespeciesusingkmercounting
AT tetsuogotoh pcrprimerdesignmethodforidentifyingspidermitespeciesusingkmercounting