New microsatellite loci for the mandarin fish Siniperca chuatsi and their application in population genetic analysis.

The mandarin fish is a popular fresh water food fish in China. Fifty-three polymorphic microsatellite markers were isolated through construction of an enriched library of genomic DNA of Siniperca chuatsi (Percichthyidae). We found 2 to 7 alleles per locus. The observed and expected heterozygosity values varied from 0.059 to 1.000 and from 0.305 to 0.818, respectively. The polymorphic information content value varied from 0.255 to 0.782. Twelve microsatellite loci deviated significantly from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after Bonferroni's correction. These markers were evaluated in five species of sinipercine fish; 98% of the 265 locus/taxon combinations tested gave cross-amplification. Eight polymorphic microsatellite markers were randomly selected for genetic characterization of three S. chuatsi populations. The Ganjiang River and Yuanjiang River populations had moderate levels of genetic diversity, while the Mudanjiang River population had a relatively low level genetic diversity. Genetic distance-based cluster analysis showed clustering of the Ganjiang River and Yuanjiang River populations in a single group and the Mudanjiang River population in a separate group. Based on these results, we suggest that S. chuatsi from the Yangtze River watershed are distinct from the Mudanjiang River population. These SSR markers will be useful for diversity, mapping and marker assisted studies of S. chuatsi and other sinipercine fishes.