Genetic Analysis of Argopecten irradians concentricus, “Bohai Red” and Their Hybrids

Abstract:

Hybridization between the ‘Bohai Red’ and Argopecten irradians concentricus was conducted. The hybrids exhibited heterosis in terms of survival rate, growth rate, and heat tolerance, demonstrating substantial potential to replace A. irradians concentricus. To ensure the efficient use of these hybrids, we need to understand the genetic structure of the hybrids and their parents. Microsatellites are widely used to assess the genetic diversity of aquaculture species and to construct a quantitative trait locus due to their characteristics such as abundant polymorphism, rich information, and high codominance and conservation. In this research, the genetic diversity of 90 individuals in 3 populations of A. irradians concentricus, ‘Bohai Red’, and their hybrids was analyzed using 8 pairs of microsatellite primers. A total of 67 alleles were amplified, and 4~14 alleles at each locus were generated, with a mean allele number of 8.5. Effective allele number, expected heterozygosity, and polymorphic content were the highest in ‘Bohai Red’ (2.3947, 0.504, and 0.462, respectively). The genetic differentiation index, gene flow, and fixed coefficient were 0.1398, 1.5387, and 0.3698, respectively. Between the hybrids and ‘Bohai Red’, the genetic distance was the smallest (0.1188) and the genetic similarity was the highest (0.888), suggesting their similar genetic structures. These findings provide a reference for the genetic analyses of ‘Bohai Red’ and A. irradians concentricus as well as for the breeding of new varieties.