Genetic structure of Pacific cod Gadus macrocephalus in Korean waters

Abstract

The Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) is an economically important species in Korea, yet little is research on the migration pattern and spawning sites of Pacific cod for the fishery management. To accumulate the basic information on the migration pattern and spawning sites, we analyzed the genetic structure of Pacific cod populations (East Sea, Yellow Sea and South Sea) in Korean waters using 14 microsatellite markers. The genetic diversity of Pacific cod populations were calculated using the mean number of alleles per locus, expected heterozygosity, proportion of missing alleles and polymorphic information content, and the genetic structure was confirmed by genetic distance between populations and principal component analysis. East Sea population (10.071) had more mean number of alleles per locus than South Sea population (7.643) and Yellow Sea population (8.000). The expected heterozygosity of South Sea population (Het-exp=0.442) was significantly lower than the expected heterozygosity of the East Sea population (Het-exp=0.482) and Yellow Sea population (Het-exp=0.495). The genetic diversity was the lowest in South Sea population. The genetic structure was similar between East Sea population and South Sea population. The genetic distance estimates for genetic structure confirmations were in the East Sea population and South Sea population as one group and in the Yellow Sea population as the other groups. These resgration pattern and spawning sites, we analyzed the genetic structure of Pacific cod populations (East Sea, Yellow Sea and South Sea) in Korean waters using 14 microsatellite markers. The genetic diversity of Pacific cod populations were calculated using the mean number of alleles per locus, expected heterozygosity, proportion of missing alleles and polymorphic information content, and the genetic structure was confirmed by genetic distance between populations and principal component analysis. East Sea population (10.071) had more mean number of alleles per locus than South Sea population (7.643) and Yellow Sea population (8.000). The expected heterozygosity of South Sea population (Het-exp=0.442) was significantly lower than the expected heterozygosity of the East Sea population (Het-exp=0.482) and Yellow Sea population (Het-exp=0.495). The genetic diversity was the lowest in South Sea population. The genetic structure was similar between East Sea population and South Sea population. The genetic distance estimates for genetic structure confirmations were in the East Sea population and South Sea population as one group and in the Yellow Sea population as the other groups. These res