Genetic identification and relationship analysis of medicinal Limonium by rDNA ITS sequence, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS)

Abstract

The quality of crude drug is important for ensuring consumers safety and efficacy.Limonium sinense (Girard) Kuntze has been used in traditional medicine in China for several thousand years. But identifying L. sinense and the adulterants based only on its morphological and chemical appearance is generally difficult. In order to establish an effective method, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of rDNA ITS region was analyzed. A pair of amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) diagnostic primers based on SNP was designed. Thirty dried samples were also identified by the diagnostic primers in the study. Moreover, the result of interspecies relationship showed that adulterants were clustered with L. sinense in NJ tree. It demonstrated that SNP sites and ARMS were simple and effective in medicinal drug identification and the rDNA ITS region can be used for genetic relationships analysis of Limonium. Key words: Limonium sinense, rDNA ITS, amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS), single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), molecular identification, genetic relationship.