Genetic variation of Metapenaeus affinis in Persian Gulf coastal waters using microsatellite markers

Genetic diversity of Metapenaeus affinis population from the northern coasts of the Persian Gulf (Bahrakan, Lifeh-Boosiaf) was studies using microsatellite markers. During September to October 2007, 60 samples of pleopods tissue of the shrimp were taken and genomic DNA was extracted by acetate method. PCR was performed on microsatellite primers. To measure fragment size, samples were run on an 8% polyacrylamid gel. For each microsatellite locus, using genetic software, Pop Gene and Gene Alex, allele frequency, real and expected heterozygosity, Fst and Rst and other relevant factors were measured. Of the obtained 5 paired microsatellite primers, all were polymorphic. The mean observed and effective alleles number was 7 and 3.67, respectively and also the mean observed and expected heterozygosis was 0.27 and 0.66, respectively. It was also seen that specimens from all regions were not in Hardy- Weinberg Equibrium in all of the loci. Based on the analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) Fst, Rst and Nm were 0.107, 0.372 and 2.092, respectively. The highest genetic distance was 0.571 and the lowest was 0.561. The present study showed that two different populations of Metapenaeus affinis are living in the Bahrakan and Lifeh-Boosiaf region northwest coasts of the Persian Gulf.