DNA Barcoding Analysis Revealed the Origin of Construction Wood
When repairing old buildings, the wood beams and supporting timbers often need to be replaced. Wood has different mechanical strength and durability depending on its origin. Therefore, matching the original timber is very important for restoration of old buildings.
DNA barcoding analysis is used for tree identification. Upon arriving to the lab, the wood sample is broken into small pieces in order to extract its DNA. Several tree barcoding genes are amplified by PCR-polymerase chain reaction before further decoding by using DNA sequencing. Once the DNA information is identified in GenBank, the lab manager reports the data to the mechanical engineering consultant who submitted the sample. As a result, the mechanical engineering workers can successfully restore wood structures in homes and bridges with the help of DNA barcoding analysis.
The wood sample above has been identified as poplar timber. The DNA sequence is for rpoC gene.