Data from: The use of archived tags in retrospective genetic analysis of fish

• Main Authors: Bonanomi, Sara, Overgaard Therkildsen, Nina, Berg Hedeholm, Rasmus, Hemmer-Hansen, Jakob, Nielsen, Einar Eg
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Zenodo 2013
• Subjects: historical samples; Atlantic cod; temporal genetic analysis; fish tags; atlantic cod; greenlandic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.sp0ks

Collections of historical tissue samples from fish (e.g. scales and otoliths) stored in museums and fisheries institutions are precious sources of DNA for conducting retrospective genetic analysis. However, in some cases only external tags used for documentation of spatial dynamics of fish populations have been preserved. Here we test the usefulness of fish tags as a source of DNA for genetic analysis. We extract DNA from historical tags from cod collected in Greenlandic waters between 1950 and 1968. We show that the quantity and quality of DNA recovered from tags is comparable to DNA from archived otoliths from the same individuals. Surprisingly, levels of cross-contamination do not seem to be significantly higher in DNA from external (tag) than internal (otolith) sources. Our study therefore demonstrates that historical tags can be a highly valuable source of DNA for retrospective genetic analysis of fish. Individual genotypes Allelic profile of otolith and tag extracts for each of the four amplified microsatellite loci : Gmo-C18, PGmo38, Tch11 and Tch14.For each extract two PCR replicates were provided. Dryad.xlsx