Genetic variation and differentiation of wild stocks of critically endangered Puntius sarana (Hamilton) and their F1 crossbreed through allozyme electrophoresis

Abstract

The lower genetic variation and differentiation in wild parental stocks of critically endangered Puntius sarana and slight genetic improvement in their F1 crossbreed were inferred by horizontal starch gel electrophoresis with nine allozyme markers. Out of fifteen loci, four loci (EST-1*, GPI-2*, G3PDH-2*, PGM*) were polymorphic in F1 crossbreed progeny and in maternal parent, and only two loci (EST-1*, G3PDH-2*) in paternal parent. A rare allele *c at locus EST-1*, the highest mean number of polymorphic loci (26.6), mean number of alleles per locus (1.33) and observed heterozygosity (0.066) were observed in F1 generation. The higher fixation index (FIS) value indicated heterozygote deficiency in parental stocks, and the negative FIS value at locus GPI-2* and PGM* indicated excess of heterozygote in F1 crossbreed progeny. The overall genetic differentiation (FST), gene flow (Nm), maximum genetic distance (D) were 0.0690, 3.3755 and 0.0183 respectively, showed very low genetic differentiation among them. Crossbreeding of geographically isolated endemic wild stocks of critically endangered P. sarana could be potential for the revival of the species from the being extinction.