A multiplex PCR assay for molecular sexing of the naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber).

For molecular sexing of the naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber), we designed a PCR primer set to amplify part of the Y-linked DBY gene. When this primer set was applied to the samples of known sex with the 16S rRNA gene (16S rDNA) primers as control, PCR products were successfully obtained as two DNA bands in males, a male-specific 163 bp DBY band and a 446 bp band of 16S rDNA shared with females, whereas females showed only the common band. This result shows that this multiplex PCR assay is useful for sex identification of H. glaber.