Fecal DNA Genotyping: A Non-invasive Approach to Characterize Mouse Models for Nutrigenomics Cancer Chemoprevention Studies

The generation of genetically altered mice for research is invaluable for investigations into the underlying mechanisms of common complex diseases such as cancer as well as for therapeutic studies. The correct identification of the genotype of each mouse is therefore essential. Genotyping is routinely performed by using blood, tail or ear tissue; however, this can cause pain or discomfort to the animal and nor is amenable to scale up for high-throughput sampling and analyses. Genotyping from saliva, hair and rectal cells is less invasive, but still requires the restraint of the animal. In contrast, collection of stool samples for DNA isolation is non-invasive as well as repeatable and time efficient, with recent studies showing it to be as accurate as the alternative methods. Fecal DNA genotyping therefore provides an attractive technique for non-invasive genotyping. This feature article examines and synthesizes the recent advances in fecal genotyping with a view to mouse models for nutrigenomics cancer chemoprevention studies specifically, and personalized medicine more broadly.