Electrophoretic identification and genetic analysis of bivalve larvae

✍ Scribed by Ya-Ping Hu; Richard A. Lutz; Robert C. Vrijenhoek

• Book ID: 104733043
• Publisher: Springer-Verlag
• Year: 1992
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 871 KB
• Volume: 113
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0025-3162
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00347275

✦ Synopsis

Taxonomic identification and genetic analysis of larval marine invertebrates have been vexing problems. We describe a polyacrylamide mini-gel electrophoresis technique for resolving proteins from individual larval bivalves (shell length 250 to 350 lam) and apply this technique to three species of laboratory-cultured larval oysters [Ostrea edulis L., 1758, Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg, 1793) and C. virginica (Gmelin, 1791)] reared during summer 1989. Electrophoretic patterns of proteins clearly discriminate among the three species and allow genetic analysis of a polymorphic allozyme locus (Pgi) in field-collected larvae and juveniles of C. virginiea. This technique provides an economical tool for largescale taxonomic, ecologic, and genetic studies of meroplanktonic stages of various species.