Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.3325/cmj.2015.56.32
Practical aspects of genetic identification of hallucinogenic and other poisonous mushrooms for clinical and forensic purposes
Marek Kowalczyk
; Institute of Forensic Research, Kraków, Poland
Andrzej Sekuła
; Institute of Forensic Research, Kraków, Poland
Piotr Mleczko
; Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
Zofia Olszowy
; Institute of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, Sosnowiec, Poland
Anna Kujawa
; Institute for Agricultural and Forest Environment PAS, Research StationTurew, Poland
Szymon Zubek
; Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
Tomasz Kupiec
; Institute of Forensic Research, Kraków, Poland
Abstract
Aim To assess the usefulness of a DNA-based method for
identifying mushroom species for application in forensic
laboratory practice.
Methods Two hundred twenty-one samples of clinical forensic
material (dried mushrooms, food remains, stomach
contents, feces, etc) were analyzed. ITS2 region of nuclear
ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) was sequenced and the sequences
were compared with reference sequences collected
from the National Center for Biotechnology Information
gene bank (GenBank). Sporological identification of mushrooms
was also performed for 57 samples of clinical material.
Results Of 221 samples, positive sequencing results were
obtained for 152 (69%). The highest percentage of positive
results was obtained for samples of dried mushrooms
(96%) and food remains (91%). Comparison with GenBank
sequences enabled identification of all samples at least at
the genus level. Most samples (90%) were identified at the
level of species or a group of closely related species. Sporological
and molecular identification were consistent at the
level of species or genus for 30% of analyzed samples.
Conclusion Molecular analysis identified a larger number
of species than sporological method. It proved to be suitable
for analysis of evidential material (dried hallucinogenic
mushrooms) in forensic genetic laboratories as well as
to complement classical methods in the analysis of clinical
material
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
139294
URI
Publication date:
15.2.2015.
Visits: 2.143 *