Genetic diversity in the bronze gudgeon, Coreius heterodon, from the Yangtze River system based on mtDNA sequences of the control region

Abstract

The bronze gudgeon, Coreius heterodon (Bleeker), is an economically important species, which only inhabits the Yangtze River. The stock declined drastically in recent years due to dam construction, over-fishing, and pollution. Little is known about its population genetic structure. In this study, the sequences of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control regions of natural bronze gudgeon was determined for fish collected from four sites in the Yangtze River (n = 102). The molecular data were used to estimate the genetic diversity and differentiation of the bronze gudgeon. The results showed that 28 haplotypes and 22 variable sites were found, and the haplotype diversity (p) and nucleotide diversity (h) were 0.849 and 0.00257, respectively. A low level of genetic diversity exists in the bronze gudgeon. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) suggests that 98.8% of the genetic variability occurred within the populations; the site of collection had little influence on diversity. Future research should focus on investigating the genetic divergence of populations in different tributaries and using additional polymorphic markers, such as microsatellite DNA, to verify the results and improve interpretation.

Microsatellite DNA variation among samples of bronze gudgeon, Coreius heterodon, in the mainstem of the Yangtze River, China

“…No genetic effects of recent bottlenecks were inferred, suggesting that there was no dramatic recent decrease of effective population size in the samples (Hedrick 2005). The results were consistent with those of Yan et al (2008) using mtDNA control region sequence data and supported the earlier observation of no remarkable differences in phenotypic characteristics of bronze gudgeon from different regions of the Yangtze River basin (Xu et al 1981).…”

“…Our research, together with the previous study by Yan et al (2008), was conducted only in the mainstem of the Yangtze River. Bronze gudgeon is also observed inhabiting some tributaries of the Yangtze River, e.g., the Hanjiang and Xiangjiang rivers (Institute of Hydrobiology 1976).…”

“…0 E; and Changshu, 31°52 0 N, 120°51 0 E) along the mainstem of the Yangtze River (Yan et al 2008). Because of differences in the mode of inheritance between mtDNA and the nuclear genome (Brown 2008), Yan et al (2008) recommended further research using nuclear DNA markers to verify their results.…”

“…Because of differences in the mode of inheritance between mtDNA and the nuclear genome (Brown 2008), Yan et al (2008) recommended further research using nuclear DNA markers to verify their results. Against this background, we analyzed the genetic structure of bronze gudgeon using microsatellite DNA markers.…”

Molecular and morphological analysis of endangered species Gymnodiptychus integrigymnatus (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

“…The mitochondrial DNA control region was often used to investigate intraspecific genetic variation, because it is highly variable (Aquadro and Greenberg 1983;Garner and Ryder 1996;Quattro et al 2002;Li et al 2007). In the present study, we used the cytochrome b gene to elucidate the phylogenetic relationship of Gymnodiptychus species thought to be related to specimens of G. integrigymnatus, and to investigate the phylogenetic status of the newly discovered populations of G. integrigymnatus.…”