Label free molecular sexing of monomorphic birds using infrared spectroscopic imaging

• We used FT-IR spectroscopic imaging to determine the sex of monomorphic birds.
• Small amounts of feather pulp suspensions containing blood cells were investigated.
• Female and male cells show different intensities of the amide and phosphate bands.
• Principal component analysis was used to classify the spectra.
• The overall accuracy for male samples was 100% and 87% for female samples.

The absence of sexual dimorphism in many birds often makes sex determination difficult. In particular immature birds and adults of monomorphic species show no external sex characteristics. Molecular techniques based on DNA hybridization or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are standard methods for sex identification. However, these methods are expensive and time consuming procedures and require special sample preparation. Noninvasive methods for a rapid determination of bird's gender are of increasing importance for ornithologists, breeders as well as for successful captive-breeding programs. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is one such technique that can provide gender specific information. In this study, using the example of domestic pigeons (Columba livia f. dom.) we demonstrate that only a small amount of the feather pulp is needed to determine the gender. FT-IR spectroscopic images of feather pulp suspensions were recorded in transmission mode. Principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were performed to identify the sex. The gender related information are described by 2nd and 4th principal component principle component (PC). The 2nd PC represents different amounts of proteins while the 4th PC shows variations within the amide I and amide II bands as well as in the region of phosphate vibrations of nucleic acids. Blood cells of male pigeons exhibit a significantly higher amount of proteins and nucleic acids than those of female pigeons. Feather pulp samples of male species were assigned with 100% accuracy. Seven from eight female samples were assigned correctly while one sample could not be classified. This study demonstrates that the sex of domestic pigeons can be accurately and and rapidly identified by infrared spectroscopic imaging.

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