Identification of eleven species of the Pleuronectidae family using DNA-based techniques

Flatfish are one of the largest families in the order Pleuronectiformes and are economically important edible marine fish species. However, they have similar morphological characteristics leading to challenges in classifying correctly, which may result in mislabeling and illegal sales, such as fraudulent labeling of processed food. Therefore, accurate identification is important to ensure the quality and safety of domestic markets in Korea. Species-specific primers were prepared from the mainly consumed eleven species of the order Pleuronectiformes. To rapidly identify the 11 flatfish species, a highly efficient, rapid, multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with species-specific primers was developed. Species-specific primer sets were designed for the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene. Species-specific multiplex PCR (MSS-PCR) either specifically amplified a PCR product of a unique size or failed. This MSS-PCR analysis is easy to perform and yields reliable results in less time than the previous Sanger sequencing methods. This technique could be a powerful tool for the identification of the 11 species b the family Pleuronectidae and can contribute to the prevention of falsified labeling and protection of consumer rights.