Analysis of arctic char (<i>Salvelinus alpinus</i>) haplotypes in the largest lakes of the North-West Region of Russia for genetic monitoring

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Arctic char is a residential form of the Arctic char Salvelinus alpinus and a commercial target in Ladoga Lake. Caused by fishing the gradual decline in the number of ones in the largest lakes of the North-Western Region of Russia is compensated by measures for its artificial reproduction.
 AIM: The aim of this work was to carry out gaplotyping of the arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) population in the largest lakes of the northwestern region of Russia.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: The gaplotyping by PCR amplification in combination with restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) of several amplified mtDNA regions, sequencing of the D-loop of mtDNA.
 RESULTS: Screening studies of the genetic diversity of arctic char were carried out in three geographical population of the North-Western region of Russia and also the lake form of Arctic char from Sobachye Lake (Putorana Plateau, Western Siberia). The variability of a significant part (more than 35%) of the mitochondrial genome was analyzed including the regions of 16S rRNA/ND1/ND2 (2000 bp), COXI (567 bp), ND5/ND6 (2490 bp) and D-loop (1097 bp). Analysis of the nucleotide sequences of the control region mtDNA revealed 6 different haplotypes that were included in a single Eurasian group of char.
 CONCLUSIONS: The panel of PCR-RFLP markers can serve as a tool for monitoring the genetic structure of the arctic char populations of Ladoga Lake under conditions of ones artificial maintenance.