Assays and instruments are being used to monitor wild salmon populations in the Pacific Ocean as part of a multinational genotyping project based at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Assays and instruments from Applied Biosystems are being used to monitor wild salmon populations in the Pacific Ocean as part of a multinational genotyping project based at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
The decline of populations in this area is not only a threat to regional economies, but also gives a good indication of potential problems in the global ecosystem.
Taking a small piece of fin as a DNA sample, researchers are using Applied Biosystems 3730 DNA analysers, TaqMan SNP genotyping assays and real-time PCR systems to sequence and then genotype the salmon DNA, identifying SNPs to use as genetic markers in the population studies.
The application of SNP genotyping is an exciting advance for this kind of conservation project.
As the researchers track salmon migration patterns, intermixing of populations, and identify risk factors for this commercially and environmentally important species, they hope to gain a better understanding of the potential impact of climate change and sustainable fishing practices.
