The parthenogenetic Marmorkrebs (marbled crayfish) produces genetically uniform offspring |
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Authors: | Peer Martin Klaus Kohlmann Gerhard Scholtz |
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Institution: | 1.Institut für Biologie/Vergleichende Zoologie,Humboldt-Universit?t zu Berlin,Berlin,Germany;2.Department 5, Inland Fisheries,Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries,Berlin,Germany |
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Abstract: | Genetically identical animals are very much in demand as laboratory objects because they allow conclusions about environmental
and epigenetic effects on development, structures, and behavior. Furthermore, questions about the relative fitness of various
genotypes can be addressed. However, genetically identical animals are relatively rare, in particular, organisms that combine
a high reproduction rate and a complex organization. Based on its exclusively parthenogenetic reproduction mode, it has been
suggested that the Marmorkrebs (Crustacea, Decapoda, Astacida), a recently discovered crayfish, is an excellent candidate
for research addressing the aforementioned questions. However, until now, a study using molecular markers that clearly proves
the genetic uniformity of the offspring has been lacking. Here, with this first molecular study, we show that this crayfish
indeed produces genetically uniform clones. We tested this with 19 related individuals of various generations of a Marmorkrebs
population by means of six different microsatellite markers. We found that all examined specimens were identical in their
allelic composition. Furthermore, half of the analyzed loci were heterozygous. These results and the absence of meioses in
previous histological studies of the ovaries lead us to conclude the Marmorkrebs propagates apomictically. Thus, a genetically
uniform organism with complex morphology, development, and behavior is now available for various laboratory studies. |
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Keywords: | Microsatellites Apomictic reproduction Clonal model organism |
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