Application of polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) to identification of flatfish species.

A method of DNA analysis based on polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) was developed to verify the authenticity of labeled raw and frozen fillets of some flatfish species. PCR was used to amplify a short fragment (201 bp) of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene, which was denatured and analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for detection of SSCPs. Species-specific patterns of DNA bands were obtained for sole (Solea solea), European plaice (Pleuronectes platessa), flounder (Platichthys flesus), and Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides).