Microsatellite loci in tench: isolation and variability in a test population

Abstract

Because of their high variability and rapid evolution, microsatellites became increasingly important in genetic research, e.g. population structure and differentiation studies, gene mapping and parentage analysis. However, such loci have not been isolated in tench so far. Applying a PCR based method of generating microsatellite enriched DNA fragment libraries we were able to identify nine loci (MTT-1 to MTT-9). The variability of these microsatellite loci was determined in 50 tench individuals originating from a wild population of Lake Döllnsee, Germany. Three loci were found to be monomorphic. The remaining six loci segregated for two to nine alleles. The observed heterozygosities at polymorphic loci were high (0.500–0.959) with only one exception: locus MTT-8 (0.167). These polymorphic microsatellite loci showed a much higher level of genetic variability than the allozyme loci previously studied in the same individuals. Thus, they seem to be more suitable for genetic studies of tench. On the other hand, it remains to be checked in other populations if the three loci that did not show any variation in this population are generally monomorphic in this species.