Genetic variation within and among infrapopulations of the marine digenetic trematode Lecithochirium fusiforme.
Allozyme markers were used to study genetic variation in Lecithochirium fusiforme within a natural population of Conger conger. Six of 16 enzyme-coding loci studied were found to be polymorphic. These loci were surveyed in 12 infrapopulations of adult flukes. High levels of genetic variation were detected (P = 0.375); Ho = 0.048; He = 0.085). However, the population did not conform to Hardy-Weinberg expectations, as it showed a significant deficit of heterozygotes. L. fusiforme also exhibited low differentiation between infrapopulations (FST = 0.064). Despite significant linkage disequilibrium at Pgm-1 and Pgm-2 (P < 0.05), mating system does not appear to be the principal reason for the deficit of heterozygotes detected, because some polymorphic loci were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Association between FIS and FST statistics suggests the existence of the Wahlund effect. However, all infrapopulations showed a strong deficit of heterozygotes for most polymorphic loci (FIS = 0.409). Detection of significant genetic differentiation among temporal samples and the existence of paratenic hosts in the life-cycle suggests the Wahlund effect, caused by the mixture of genetically distinct temporal samples in the infrapopulations. Occasional temporal gene flow also might explain the high estimated genetic polymorphism.
Vilas
R
R
Laboratorio de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (USC), Av. Vigo s/n, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Paniagua
E
E
Sanmartín
M L
ML
D000818:Animals; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006579:Heterozygote; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014200:Trematoda / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*
D005819:Genetic Markers