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Field-ready DNA extraction from scat using magnetic nanoparticles for non-invasive wildlife monitoring

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Abstract

Scat is commonly used to non-invasively monitor the presence of wildlife. Samples are typically collected in the field and transported to a laboratory for downstream DNA analysis. Current gold-standard extraction methods rely on column-based kits that are expensive, labor-intensive, and require specialized instrumentation. Here we present a rapid and low-cost DNA extraction method using silica-coated magnetic beads, tested on our species of interest – Rangifer tarandus (a Species at Risk currently monitored in Canada using scat sampling) and extended to other Cervidae species. This portable approach requires only simple equipment, yields stable DNA, and is well suited for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis both in the field and in centralized laboratories. We also designed and validated novel primers specific for R. tarandus mitochondrial DNA to enable reliable species identification from scat. In this study, we demonstrate the ease of use, DNA yield, stability and PCR success of our method compared with widely used kits. We further show its applicability across additional Cervidae scat, underscoring its transferability to other herbivorous mammals.

Data availability

All data supporting the findings of this study are available within the paper and its Supplementary Information. Primer sequences and steps for this protocol are detailed in the methods section. As well the data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (RGPIN-2020-06401 to YL); Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada and Canada Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (specifically ConocoPhillips Canada, Teck Resources, and Imperial Oil included in this alliance) (CRDPJ 538213 to CDMF and YL); and Alberta Innovates (G2020000261 to CDMF). We would like to thank the Toronto Zoo staff for their kind assistance to obtaining samples for our work. In addition, we would like to thank Dr. Maria Cavedon for her help in obtaining scat and tissue samples from Alberta.

Funding

This study was supported by Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (RGPIN-2020-06401 to YL); Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada and Canada Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (specifically ConocoPhillips Canada, Teck Resources, and Imperial Oil included in this alliance) (CRDPJ 538213 to CDMF and YL); and Alberta Innovates (G2020000261 to CDMF).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada

    Letizia Dondi

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada

    Rahul Chaudhari, Natalie Schmitt & Carlos D. M. Filipe

  3. Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada

    Jocelyn Poissant

  4. Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    Marco Musiani

  5. Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada

    Yingfu Li

Authors

  1. Letizia Dondi
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  2. Rahul Chaudhari
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  3. Natalie Schmitt
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  4. Jocelyn Poissant
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  5. Marco Musiani
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  6. Carlos D. M. Filipe
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  7. Yingfu Li
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Contributions

N.S., C.D.M.F and Y.L. initiated the project. L.D. designed the project, conducted the experimental design and completed all experimental operations. L.D., R.C., N.S., M.M., J.P., C.D.M.F. and Y.L. revised the manuscript. C.D.M.F. and Y.L. provided the supervision of this project.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to
Yingfu Li.

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Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

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Supplementary Information

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Supplementary Material 1

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Dondi, L., Chaudhari, R., Schmitt, N. et al. Field-ready DNA extraction from scat using magnetic nanoparticles for non-invasive wildlife monitoring.
Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-37759-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-37759-6

Keywords

  • DNA extraction
  • Scat
  • Field-based methods
  • Rapid
  • Minimal equipment

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