Investigation of genetic population of Neogobius gorlap in southern Caspian Sea using microsatellite markers

Genetic diversity of Neogobios gorlap population was examined on 133 samples from regions in southern parts of the Caspian Sea (Golestan 28 samples, Mazandaran 53 samples and Guilan 52 samples). Genomic DNA was extracted from fin tissue by phenol-chlorophorm method. PCR was performed using 6 microsatellite primers. The PCR products of samples were accompanied with standard marker (50 by ladder). To measure fragment size, samples were run on a 6% polyacrylamid gel. Allele count and frequency, the effective and real allele, expected heterozygosity and observed heterozygosity, genetic diversity; Shannon Information Index, genetic identity and genetic distance, Fst, Rst, gene flow and Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium based on Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) were calculated using the Gene Alex software. All studied loci were polymorph. The mean observed and effective allele number was 11.44 and 7.28 respectively. Also, the maximum observed and expected heterozygosity was 0.964 and 0.932 respectively. Specimens from all regions (with the exception of locus NG71 and NG111 in Golestan region) were not in Hardy-Weinberg Equibrium in all of the loci (P<0.05). The maximum F5t (0.06) was observed between Golestan and Guilan regions (Nrn 1.40). The minimum Fist (0.03) was observed between Mazandaran and Guilan (Nm=3.43). The highest genetic distance (0.71) and the lowest genetic distance (0.49) was observed between specimens from Guilan and Golestan regions. Based on Fst results, we found that there is a significant genetic divergence between some samples. Therefore, we suggest three genetic groups of Neogobios gorlap for the southern part of the Caspian Sea.