A modified primer-pair designed for the molecular sex identification of black-legged Kittiwake (Laridae: Rissa tridactyla)

Chloe P. Cargill; George Harrand; Signe Christensen-Dalsgaard; Alexey V. Ezhov; Ruben C. Fijn; Maria V. Gavrilo; Mark A. Newell; Carmel McDougall

doi:10.1007/s12686-025-01400-x

A modified primer-pair designed for the molecular sex identification of black-legged Kittiwake (Laridae: Rissa tridactyla)

Chloe P. Cargill^*, George Harrand, Signe Christensen-Dalsgaard, Alexey V. Ezhov, Ruben C. Fijn, Maria V. Gavrilo, Mark A. Newell, Carmel McDougall

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

In studies of avian populations accurate sex identification facilitates the study of sex-linked behaviour, ecology, social structure, decision-making, and life histories. To improve molecular sex identification protocols for the black-legged kittiwake (Laridae: Rissa tridactyla, hereafter ‘kittiwake’), primers previously developed for other bird species were realigned against the kittiwake CHD1 Z and W chromosomes to generate a species-specific primer-pair. Amplicons of 602 bp and 375 bp were produced using typical PCR and gel electrophoresis procedures. The modified primer-pair was validated on a test sample of 138 kittiwakes from four Atlantic breeding colonies sexed a priori using head-bill length.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-5
Number of pages	5
Journal	Conservation Genetics Resources
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-025-01400-x
Publication status	Published - 2 Jul 2025

Keywords

Charadriiformes
CHD1
Feather
Primer
Sexing

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title = "A modified primer-pair designed for the molecular sex identification of black-legged Kittiwake (Laridae: Rissa tridactyla)",

abstract = "In studies of avian populations accurate sex identification facilitates the study of sex-linked behaviour, ecology, social structure, decision-making, and life histories. To improve molecular sex identification protocols for the black-legged kittiwake (Laridae: Rissa tridactyla, hereafter {\textquoteleft}kittiwake{\textquoteright}), primers previously developed for other bird species were realigned against the kittiwake CHD1 Z and W chromosomes to generate a species-specific primer-pair. Amplicons of 602 bp and 375 bp were produced using typical PCR and gel electrophoresis procedures. The modified primer-pair was validated on a test sample of 138 kittiwakes from four Atlantic breeding colonies sexed a priori using head-bill length.",

keywords = "Charadriiformes, CHD1, Feather, Primer, Sexing",

author = "Cargill, \{Chloe P.\} and George Harrand and Signe Christensen-Dalsgaard and Ezhov, \{Alexey V.\} and Fijn, \{Ruben C.\} and Gavrilo, \{Maria V.\} and Newell, \{Mark A.\} and Carmel McDougall",

note = "Funding: This study was funded under the Natural Environment Research Council Scottish Universities Partnership for Environmental Research Doctoral Training Partnership (NE/S007342/1, website https://superdtp.st-andrews.ac.uk/) with additional funding from the Marine Directorate (Scottish Government) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Collection of Norwegian samples and data were financed by the SEAPOP program (www.seapop.no, grant no. 192141), and the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology Scotland and Scottish Funding Council Saltire Emerging Researcher Scheme (Ref. SERS1-10). Russian samples and data were supported by the ARCTOX and SEATRACK programmes. Dutch samples and data were collected in a collaborative project between Ruben Fijn, Rob van Bemmelen (both Waardenburg Ecology) and Hans Schekkerman (Sovon), which was commissioned by TotalEnergies (Thijs Kabel and Gerry van der Meijden).",

year = "2025",

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doi = "10.1007/s12686-025-01400-x",

language = "English",

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journal = "Conservation Genetics Resources",

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AU - Cargill, Chloe P.

AU - Harrand, George

AU - Christensen-Dalsgaard, Signe

AU - Ezhov, Alexey V.

AU - Fijn, Ruben C.

AU - Gavrilo, Maria V.

AU - Newell, Mark A.

AU - McDougall, Carmel

N1 - Funding: This study was funded under the Natural Environment Research Council Scottish Universities Partnership for Environmental Research Doctoral Training Partnership (NE/S007342/1, website https://superdtp.st-andrews.ac.uk/) with additional funding from the Marine Directorate (Scottish Government) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Collection of Norwegian samples and data were financed by the SEAPOP program (www.seapop.no, grant no. 192141), and the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology Scotland and Scottish Funding Council Saltire Emerging Researcher Scheme (Ref. SERS1-10). Russian samples and data were supported by the ARCTOX and SEATRACK programmes. Dutch samples and data were collected in a collaborative project between Ruben Fijn, Rob van Bemmelen (both Waardenburg Ecology) and Hans Schekkerman (Sovon), which was commissioned by TotalEnergies (Thijs Kabel and Gerry van der Meijden).

PY - 2025/7/2

Y1 - 2025/7/2

N2 - In studies of avian populations accurate sex identification facilitates the study of sex-linked behaviour, ecology, social structure, decision-making, and life histories. To improve molecular sex identification protocols for the black-legged kittiwake (Laridae: Rissa tridactyla, hereafter ‘kittiwake’), primers previously developed for other bird species were realigned against the kittiwake CHD1 Z and W chromosomes to generate a species-specific primer-pair. Amplicons of 602 bp and 375 bp were produced using typical PCR and gel electrophoresis procedures. The modified primer-pair was validated on a test sample of 138 kittiwakes from four Atlantic breeding colonies sexed a priori using head-bill length.

AB - In studies of avian populations accurate sex identification facilitates the study of sex-linked behaviour, ecology, social structure, decision-making, and life histories. To improve molecular sex identification protocols for the black-legged kittiwake (Laridae: Rissa tridactyla, hereafter ‘kittiwake’), primers previously developed for other bird species were realigned against the kittiwake CHD1 Z and W chromosomes to generate a species-specific primer-pair. Amplicons of 602 bp and 375 bp were produced using typical PCR and gel electrophoresis procedures. The modified primer-pair was validated on a test sample of 138 kittiwakes from four Atlantic breeding colonies sexed a priori using head-bill length.

KW - Charadriiformes

KW - CHD1

KW - Feather

KW - Primer

KW - Sexing

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105009759374

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DO - 10.1007/s12686-025-01400-x

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105009759374

SN - 1877-7252

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JO - Conservation Genetics Resources

JF - Conservation Genetics Resources

ER -

A modified primer-pair designed for the molecular sex identification of black-legged Kittiwake (Laridae: Rissa tridactyla)

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