Genetic tools for development of northern Chinook Salmon in culture

Description

Microsatellite loci are repeating sequences of base pairs (nucleobases) within DNA. They are often used as molecular markers in genetics , for kinship , and populations. A suite of eight microsatellite loci have been identified that can be used to differentiate wild and cultured Chinook Salmon and to maintain a pedigree in cultured Chinook Salmon strains from southern BC strains. In addition to this BC strain, the industry partner, Creative Salmon also maintains a Chinook Salmon strain derived from Yukon River and maintains an extensive gene bank of cryopreserved milt from the strain, assembled over the past 15 years. This strain has been maintained with mass selection and little pedigree management. Creative Salmon is now in a position to develop a pedigreed breeding program to incorporate and improve a number of desirable and distinctive Yukon Chinook Salmon traits into their cultured strain. This project aims to develop a suite of between six and eight microsatellite markers that are sufficiently informative in northern BC and Yukon strains of Chinook Salmon to enable unique identification of individuals and family structure in cultured strains of Chinook Salmon developed for aquaculture. The project will also allow development of Standard Operating Protocols facilitating application of the markers in a cost-effective manner to large numbers of fish sampled from culture operations.

Program Name

Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program (ACRDP)

Year(s)

2010 - 2012

Ecoregion(s)

Pacific: North Coast and Hecate Strait

Principal Investigator(s)

Ruth Withler
Email: Ruth.Withler@dfo-mpo.gc.ca