Population Genetic Structure of Stellate Sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus Pallas, 1771) in the South Caspian Sea Using Microsatellite Markers

Abstract The species Capoeta aculeata (Valenciennes, 1844) is one of the most important freshwater species endemic to Iran. However, the investigation of a population genetic structure of this species is limited by the low number of molecular markers currently described. In this study, we implemented next generation sequencing technology to identify polymorphic microsatellite markers and investigate the population genetic structure of C. aculeata sampled from three geographical sites in Iran. We sequenced 60 individuals from three populations occurring in the Zagros basin. We characterized and developed 36 novel polymorphic microsatellite markers and these loci were examined in 120 individuals from three populations occurring in the Zagros basin. The average number of alleles per locus varied from 1.7 to 16. (average = 7.89). The results showed that, the polymorphism information content (PCI) of these SSR loci varied from 0.254 to 0.888. The observed heterozygosity (Ho) per locus ranged from 0.170 to 0.881, while the expected heterozygosity (He) per locus was from 0.170 to 0.881. Among these SSR loci, 20 loci deviated significantly from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium after Bonferroni correction (p< 0.05). These microsatellite markers could provide a valuable tool for future population and conservation genetics studies of C. aculeate populations and other closely related species.

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Population genetic structure of Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) in the Southeast Pacific and Southwest Atlantic Ocean

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.4173 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. e4173 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Cristian B. Canales-Aguirre ◽

Sandra Ferrada-Fuentes ◽

Ricardo Galleguillos ◽

Fernanda X. Oyarzun ◽

Cristián E. Hernández

Keyword(s):

Genetic Structure ◽

Continental Shelf ◽

Population Genetic Structure ◽

Population Genetic ◽

South American ◽

The South ◽

Effective Population ◽

Genetic Structuring ◽

South Georgia ◽

Dissostichus Eleginoides

Previous studies of population genetic structure inDissostichus eleginoideshave shown that oceanographic and geographic discontinuities drive in this species population differentiation. Studies have focused on the genetics ofD.eleginoidesin the Southern Ocean; however, there is little knowledge of their genetic variation along the South American continental shelf. In this study, we used a panel of six microsatellites to test whetherD.eleginoidesshows population genetic structuring in this region. We hypothesized that this species would show zero or very limited genetic structuring due to the habitat continuity along the South American shelf from Peru in the Pacific Ocean to the Falkland Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. We used Bayesian and traditional analyses to evaluate population genetic structure, and we estimated the number of putative migrants and effective population size. Consistent with our predictions, our results showed no significant genetic structuring among populations of the South American continental shelf but supported two significant and well-defined genetic clusters ofD.eleginoidesbetween regions (South American continental shelf and South Georgia clusters). Genetic connectivity between these two clusters was 11.3% of putative migrants from the South American cluster to the South Georgia Island and 0.7% in the opposite direction. Effective population size was higher in locations from the South American continental shelf as compared with the South Georgia Island. Overall, our results support that the continuity of the deep-sea habitat along the continental shelf and the biological features of the study species are plausible drivers of intraspecific population genetic structuring across the distribution ofD.eleginoideson the South American continental shelf.

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