In PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) exercises targeting specific organisms, common genes of interest are often selected for their distinctive characteristics or roles in the organisms' biology.
a. For insect genomic DNA, a frequently targeted gene is the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene. This gene is commonly used in molecular barcoding to identify and differentiate insect species.
b. For Wolbachia genomic DNA, a common target is the 16S rRNA gene. This gene is often used in studies to identify and characterize different strains of Wolbachia, as it is conserved among many bacterial species but still provides sufficient variability to distinguish between them.
These targets can vary based on specific research goals, but COI and 16S rRNA are among the most widely used in studies involving insects and Wolbachia.