By Jia Hepeng, T. V. Padma

Scientists leading international projects to use DNA barcoding for
biodiversity mapping are proposing a series of guidelines in an attempt to
overcome the reluctance of developing countries to take up the technology.
Scientists announced the proposal at a session of the third Euroscience Open
Forum this week (21 July).

"At our upcoming international workshop to be held in November, we will
propose a code of conduct to avoid DNA barcoding being carried out
improperly," says David Schindel, executive secretary of Consortium for the
Barcode of Life.

The guidelines will include abiding by local laws in obtaining samples,
trying to increase the capacity to carry out barcoding when carrying out
studies in developing countries, and protecting rather than exploiting
genetic resources.

Initiated by the US-based National Museum of Natural History, of which
Schindel is a senior research fellow, the consortium plans to use DNA
barcoding to identify tens of thousands of species in the next five years.

The uptake of DNA barcoding to record the biodiversity of developing
countries has been slow, due to concerns that sending samples abroad for
barcoding may result in the piracy of genetic resources, Schindel told
SciDev.Net.

But some countries have initiated DNA barcode projects, including Brazil,
India, Kenya and South Africa.

The technique identifies known species and records new ones by sequencing a
specific, short area of mitochondrial DNA, previously identified and agreed
by scientists.

Mitochondrial DNA mutates at a fast rate, meaning the region of DNA should
vary enough between species to separate even those that are closely related.

Developing countries' concern about biopiracy is rational and in the long
term it can only be solved by developing countries building their own
capacity to carry out barcoding, says Schindel.

But in the short term developing countries lack the funding, equipment, and
expertise to do this, yet refuse to provide samples. "We need to take active
measures to develop a trusting relationship [between developing countries
and researchers in the industrialised world] to overcome the dilemma,"
Schindel says.

As the first step, developing country researchers could do some initial
studies with their samples under the guidance of foreign experts, the fruits
of which could persuade their governments to invest in barcoding, he says.

And many practical measures can be taken to overcome the legal restrictions
on exporting samples from developing countries, says Schindel. For example,
while China has many restrictions on sample exportation, as the country has
become an active player in the consortium, individual applications can be
used to gain access to samples.

www.checkbiotech.org