GENETIC ANALYSIS OF BRACHIONUS PLICATILIS STRAINS USED FOR AQUACULTURE : PRELIMINARY RESULTS

S. Papakostas, A. Triantaphyllidis, M.-I. Christodoulou, A.D. Baxevanis, I. Kappas, C.D. Triantaphyllidis, T.J. Abatzopoulos-2003

Abstract:

Many marine fish hatcheries use Brachionus plicatilis as live food for the first feeding of yount fish. Despite their importance, little is known of the genetic make up of the strains of B. plicatilis that are used in these aquaculture facilities. Also, it is unclear whether the process of controlled mass culture leads to an impoverishment of the genetic diversity of the rotifer stock.

Two approaches have been used to characterise the strains of B. plicatilis that are used in aquaculture:

1) analysis of the cytochrome oxidase I mitochondrial gene (both with restriction enzymes as well as with sequencing) and

2) analysis of the variability of nuclear microsatellites.

Preliminary results have been used to infer the species status of these strains. Additionally, the success of establishing clones of parthenogenetic Brachionus females has been checked. The results are discusses in the light of new bibliographic data that support the hypothesis that Brachionus plicatilis is a multi-species complex.

(Department of Genetics, Development & Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki 541 24, Greece, pcostasp@biol.auth.gr)

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