CHARACTERIZATION OF 35 NEW MICROSATELLITE GENETIC MARKERS FOR THE PACIFIC WHITELEG SHRIMP, LITOPENAEUS VANNAMEI: THEIR USEFULNESS FOR STUDYING GENETIC DIVERSITY OF WILD AND CULTURED STOCKS, TRACING PEDIGREE IN BREEDING PROGRAMS, AND LINKAGE MAPPING

Abstract A large number of polymorphic genetic markers are needed to examine genetic variation in wild and cultured penaeid species, trace pedigrees, and apply marker-assisted selection in breeding programs. The objectives of this study are to (1) isolate and characterize microsatellite genetic markers for the Pacific whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, (2) demonstrate the usefulness of three randomly selected markers to examine allelic variation in wild and cultured shrimp populations, and trace the pedigree of two families from the breeding program of the US Marine Shrimp Farming Program (USMSFP); and (3) determine the potential usefulness of these microsatellites for linkage mapping. A total of 128 recombinant clones obtained from Sau3 A-digested genomic libraries prepared from ovary of specific pathogen-free L. vannamei were sequenced; 86 of which contained simple sequence repeats (SSRs), or microsatellites, with three or more repeat motifs. The frequency of microsatellites with five or more repeat...