New polymorphic microsatellite markers in the Korean mi-iuy croaker, Miichthys miiuy, and their application to the genetic characterization of wild and farmed populations

Abstract

Eighteen new polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed for the Korean mi-iuy croaker (Miichthys miiuy, Perciformes, Sciaenidae), and allelic variability was compared between a wild population in Mokpo, Korea, and a hatchery population in Tongyeong, Korea. All loci were amplified readily and demonstrated allelic variability, with the number of alleles ranging from 5 to 37 in the wild population, and from 4 to 12 in the farmed population. The average observed and expected heterozygosities were estimated, respectively, to be 0.74 and 0.78 in the hatchery population samples, and 0.79 and 0.86 in the wild samples. These results indicate lower genetic variability in the hatchery population compared with the wild population, and significant genetic differentiation between the wild population and the hatchery samples (F ST=0.058, P < 0.001). These microsatellite loci may be valuable for future population genetic studies, monitoring changes in the genetic variation within stocks in a commercial breeding program, conservation genetics, and molecular assisted selective breeding of the mi-iuy croaker in the future.