Population structure and variation in Persian sturgeon (Acipenser percicus) from the Caspian Sea as determind from mitochondrial DNA sequences of the control region

Mitochondria1 DNA (mtDNA) control region sequences were analyzed to evaluate the population genetic structure of Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus) in Caspian Sea. A total of 45 specimens were collected from the different locations of the Caspian Sea. MtDNA control region was amplified using PCR. Direct sequencing was performed according standard method. The results showed that 12 haplotypes were observed between 45 samples in the method. The highest numbers of haplotypes were observed in Sefidroud River in which 3 haplotypes A, B and E among them were specific for the river and were not observed in the other locations. The average haplotype diversity (h) and nucleotide diversity (π) were 0.795±0.037 and 0.0062±0.0046, respectively. The results of FST based on kimura- 2 parameters method and analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) demonstrated that most variations occurred between samples from Sefidroud River in the south Caspian Sea and that the samples include three distinct populations including Sefidrud, Russia and Azerbaijan (P<0.001). As mtDNA control region is hypervariable segment, this can be provide potential marker for identifying probable populations and for determining their management and conservation units, leading to the useful application of molecular genetics in investigating conservation biology of the Persian sturgeon.