Application of AFLP markers in fishery and seafood

Several sociological, health and conservation arguments request a correct labelling of seafood products and fish species. Nowadays, molecular genetics is a useful tool for food chain traceability, particularly in regards to species identification. Among the variety of PCRbased molecular markers, AFLPs (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms) have recently been used to investigate genomes of different complexities. This paper assesses the potential use of the AFLP technology to determine fish and seafood species in processed commercial products, domestic stocks and research in the field of molecular ecology. In particular a species database of fish, molluscs and crustaceans has been created with the aim to identify species of origin of seafood products by previously defined AFLP patterns. Researchers in the field of molecular ecology and evolution require versatile and low-cost genetic typing methods. The AFLP method was introduced 20 years ago and shows many features that fulfil these requirements. With good quality genomic DNA at hand, it is relatively easy to generate anonymous multilocus DNA profiles in most species and the start-up time before data can be generated is often less than a week. These aspects include classical problems such as studies of population genetic structure and phylogenetic reconstructions, and also new challenges such as finding markers for genes governing adaptations in wild populations and modifications of the protocol that makes it possible to measure expression variation of multiple genes (cDNA-AFLP) and the distribution of DNA methylation. We hope this review will help molecular ecologists to identify when AFLP is likely to be superior to other more established methods, such as microsatellites, SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) analyses andmultigene DNA sequencing.

کلیدواژه ها:

Molecular biotechnology ، AFLP ، DNA methylation ، Genetic diversity ، Genetic structure ، Molecular markers