[Variation of the mitochondrial DNA control region in the populations of southern form of Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma krascheninnikovi) from Sakhalin].

Analysis of a 551-bp segment of the mitochondrial DNA control region in 23 individuals from nine populations of Dolly Varden from Sakhalin and three individuals from the Shikaribetsu Lake (Hokkaido) revealed the presence of seven haplotypes of southern form, along with one haplotype of northern form of Dolly Varden. All seven haplotypes of southern Dolly Varden were earlier described in the populations from Hokkaido. Nested analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) based on the haplotype frequencies, performed using literature data, suggested that, during the glacial epoch, there were three regional population groups of Dolly Varden (from eastern and western coasts of Sakhalin, and from Southern Primorye). Population groups from Sakhalin and Primorye were clearly separated. The differences between two Sakhalin population groups in the mtDNA haplotype frequencies were not statistically significant. However, relative to the earlier obtained data on microsatellite loci, these differences were statistically significant. For the populations of Sakhalin Dolly Varden, the data on mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA variation supplement each other.

Holarctic phylogeography of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus L.) inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences.

This study evaluated mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence variation in a 552-bp fragment of the control region of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) by analyzing 159 individuals from 83 populations throughout the entire range of the complex. A total of 89 (16.1%) nucleotide positions were polymorphic, and these defined 63 haplotypes. Phylogenetic analyses supported the monophyly of the complex and assigned the observed haplotypes to five geographic regions that may be associated with different glacial refugia. Most notably, a formerly defined major evolutionary lineage (S. a. erythrinus) ranging from North America across the Arctic archipelago to the Eurasian continent has now been partitioned into the Arctic group and the newly identified Siberian group. The Beringian group, formed entirely by specimens assigned to S. malma (Dolly Varden), encompassed the area formerly assigned to S. a. taranetzi. The latter, due to a unique haplotype, became the basal member of the Arctic group. Overall, the S. alpinus complex reflects divergent evolutionary groups coupled with shallow intergroup differentiation, also indicated by an analysis of molecular variance that attributed 73.7% (P < 0.001) of the total genetic variance among groups. Time estimates, based on sequence divergence, suggest a separation of the major phylogeographic groups during early to mid-Pleistocene. In contrast, colonization of most of today's range started relatively recently, most likely late Pleistocene during the last retreat of ice sheets some 10,000-20,000 years ago. This time scale obviously is too shallow for detecting significant variation on a smaller scale using mtDNA markers. However, other studies using nuclear microsatellite DNA variation strongly suggested ongoing evolution within groups by revealing strong population-genetic substructuring and restricted gene flow among populations. Thus, Arctic charr could serve as a model organism to investigate the linkage between historical and contemporary components of phylogeographic structuring in fish, and, with a global perspective of the distribution of genetic variation as a framework, meaningful comparisons of charr studies at a smaller geographic scale will now be possible.

Genetic diversity of trout (genus Salmo) from its most eastern native range based on mitochondrial DNA and nuclear gene variation.

Russia and western Asia harbour trout populations that have been classified as distinct species and subspecies, most often on the basis of morphological and ecological variation. In order to assess their origins and to verify whether traditional taxonomy reflects their evolutionary distinctiveness, we documented their genetic relationships on the basis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) RFLP, mtDNA sequence analysis, and allozyme variation. Both mtDNA and nuclear gene variation defined two ancient phylogenetic assemblages of populations distributed among northern (Baltic, White, Barents), and southern (Black, Caspian, Aral) sea basins, between which gene flow has been possible but limited in postglacial times. These results supported the traditional taxonomic differentiation between populations of these two regions. They provided weak support for the taxonomic distinction of southern brown trout (Salmo trutta) populations based on their basin of origin. They also refuted the hypothesis that L. Sevan trout (Salmo ischchan) diverged from a primitive brown trout ancestor. Nevertheless, all trout populations from southern sea basins possessed private alleles or mtDNA genotypes and were genetically distinct. Therefore, they represent unique gene pools that warrant individual recognition for conservation and management.