A genetic method for sex identification of raccoons (Procyon lotor) with using the ZFX and ZFY genes.

A genetic method for sex determination in raccoons was developed based on nucleotide differences of the zinc finger protein genes ZFX and ZFY. Four novel internal primers specific for ZFX or ZFY were designed. PCR amplification using two primer sets followed by agarose gel electrophoresis enabled sex determination. 141-bp and 447-bp bands were in both sex, and 346-bp band was specific only in male with primer set I. 345-bp and 447-bp bands were in both sex, and 141-bp band was specific only in male with primer set II, which could distinguish raccoon's electrophoresis pattern from three native carnivores in Hokkaido. This method will be useful for conservation genetics studies or biological analyses of raccoons.