DNA Extraction from odd sources...

[Peter L. Hurd]

rbereson at lamar.ColoState.EDU (Rachel Bereson) writes:
>>     I'm not 100% certain, but I though that feathers were made of proteins
>>(specifically keratin - like hair).  In which case, there is no DNA in feathers.
>>Please let me know if I'm way off here.
>>
>>                                              -Bri at n
>I believe you are off here.  Feather pulp contains dermal material and
>therefore does have DNA.  When a feather forms it is supplied with nutrients

There is a guy (whose name I could get you if they ever fix the e-mail
here) in Ottawa doing species identification of birds from feather
particles.  The work is funded by our Defense Department, so you can 
guess how (but the why is a stumper, eh?) the feathers get turned into
such small pieces.  I don't know if he's using DNA or protein, I could
look into this a bit for you.  Post any reply here, cuz like I say, I'm
deaf and blind to e-mail.
-- 
Pete Hurd: Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Dept. Biol. Sci.
Simon Fraser University, Burnaby B.C. V5A 1S6 Canada; hurd at fraser.sfu.ca
--- Do not post to me directly, you net types, some hackers have knocked
out the e-mail here at SFU, I can't read what I get sent to me & I can't mail.