AMPLIFIKASI GEN COI DARI SAMPEL DARAH ULAR DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN BEBERAPA PASANGAN PRIMER UNIVERSAL

AMPLIFICATION OF COI GENE FROM SNAKE BLOOD SAMPLES USING TWO UNIVERSALPRIMER PAIRS. This study aims to amplify COI (Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I) gene fragments from snake blood. Four samples were obtained from four different snake individuals that were captured in Tapahan Telu Waterfall, Kali Village, Minahasa Regency. Total DNA from the sample was isolated and then the COI gene was amplified through the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) reaction using two primer pairs, LCO1490-HCO2198 and FF2d-FR1d. These four samples were successfully amplified using different primers, i.e. DRP1 and DRP3 by FF2d-FR1d and DRP2 and DRP4 by LCO1490-HCO2198 primers. The success of amplification marked by the presence of 710 bp (LCO1490-HCO2198) and 707 bp (FF2d-FR1d) bands, which were indicated by those bands were located close to the standard 750 bp DNA ladder. Key words: Snake, Amplification, COI gene, Primers, PCR

Blood respiratory properties in a sea snake and a land snake

Haematocrit, haemoglobin concentration, oxygen capacity, haemoglobin-oxygen affinity (Hb-O2) and buffer capacity of whole blood are examined in the banded sea snake, Laticauda colubrina, and the terrestrial black snake, Pseudechis porphyriacus, two ecologically divergent, but phylogenetically close, species. Oxygen capacity is indistinguishable between both snakes and, in general, there is no distinct trend toward high values in diving reptiles. Hb-O2 affinity is slightly higher in the sea snake. The Bohr effect is smaller in sea snake blood but haem-haem interaction is similar in both species. However, it is proposed that moderate differences in the Bohr shift and haem-haem interaction are of little importance to oxygen transport in most reptiles. Plasma bicarbonate is moderately high in both snakes and there is no difference in non-carbonic buffer capacity. In general, the respiratory properties of the blood of sea snakes are not greatly different from those of terrestrial snakes and lizards.