Optimisation and standardization of primers for sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) and beluga (Huso huso) microsatellite loci

Abstract

Overharvest, habitat loss, fragmentation and other anthropogenic factors have resulted in population and distribution decline of both sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) and beluga (Huso huso) in Danube basen. As all living sturgeon species are endangered and there are numerous conservation programs, there is a need for estimation of genetic diversity and the evolutonary relationships among populations. Microsatellite loci are useful tool for detection of intraspecies and intrapopulatoin polymorphism and numerous microsatellite loci were detected for sturgeon species. Primers for loci from Afu, Aox and Spl groupe were preveously developed for lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens), Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) and shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) respectfuly and provided a much needed group of genetic markers, detectable with non-invasive sampling (anal fin tissue). We tested and optimised primers for ten microsatellite loci on 10 sterlet and 5 beluga speciments from Serbian part of Danube River. All of tested loci show high level of polymorphism among sample speciments.