Evaluation of Genetic Diversity in Giant African Land Snails Using Inter Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSR) Markers
O. M. Etukudo *
Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
B. O. Asuquo
Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
U. B. Ekaluo
Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
B. Okon
Department of Animal Science, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
E. E. Ekerette
Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
A. J. Umoyen
Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
O. U. Udensi
Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
L. A. Ibom
Department of Animal Science, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
C. A. Afiukwa
Department of Biotechnology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
D. O. Igwe
Department of Biotechnology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
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Evaluation of Genetic Diversity in Giant African Land Snails Using Inter Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSR) Markers
The genetic diversity and relatedness among three populations (A. achatina, A. fulica and A. marginata) of giant African land snails, a highly relished source of protein in West Africa were studied using Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers. Thirty (30) snails consisting of ten (10) each of A. achatina, A. fulica and A. marginata were collected randomly from three locations in Nigeria for genetic diversity studies. DNA were extracted using CTAB methods with minor modifications and ten (10) ISSR primers were used for PCR-DNA amplification and bands were visualized under UV light using ethidium bromide. Data analyses were computed using power marker version 3.25, POPGENE version 1.32 and GenAlex 6.5 software. Results obtained revealed that the polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.7139 to 0.9230, while percentage polymorphism ranged from 55.55% to 92.31%. Average percentage polymorphism was 73.85%. Molecular-based cluster generated two major clusters. AMOVA result gave 0.00% of variation among the populations while variation within populations was 100%. Snail populations used in this study showed very narrow genetic diversity suggesting that they may come from a common ancestor. The implication of the results taken together is that further genotyping and analyses should be carried out using other DNA markers.
Keywords: Snail, genetic diversity, ISSR, phylogenetics