Novel DNA markers for rapid, accurate, and cost-effective discrimination of the continental origin of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

• Published in: ICES Journal of Marine Science
• Main Authors: Gilbey, John, Knox, David, O'Sullivan, Martha, Verspoor, Eric
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press (OUP) 2005
• Subjects: Ecology; Aquatic Science; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Oceanography; Atlantic salmon; North Atlantic; Salmo salar
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.icesjms.2005.07.001; http://academic.oup.com/icesjms/article-pdf/62/8/1606/29124021/62-8-1606.pdf

Abstract Salmon from geographically representative rivers in North America and Europe were typed for variation at the microsatellite locus SS1 and the mitochondrial DNA ND-1 restriction site 3971, using PCR amplification and agarose-gel electrophoresis. North American salmon showed near-fixation for SS1 alleles between 129 and 135 bp in length and the N mtDNA restriction type, while European salmon near-fixation for SS1 alleles between 183 and 219 bp and the A/D mtDNA type. Based on the observed variant frequencies, using these two markers in combination is predicted to give correct assignment of >99.5% of salmon to continent-of-origin. As both these continental markers can be screened by agarose-gel electrophoresis, their use offers a more rapid, cheaper, and simpler method for accurate assignment of Atlantic salmon to continent-of-origin than do existing methods. These markers can be applied to the identification of salmon in North Atlantic high-seas fisheries, in aquaculture stocks, and in rivers to determine the continent-of-origin of fish-farm escapes.