Genetic Heterogeneity in Isogenic Homozygous Clonal Zebrafish

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 92; no. 26; pp. 12367 - 12369
• Main Authors: Buth, D G, Gordon, M S, Plaut, I, Drill, S L, Adams, L G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 19.12.1995; National Acad Sciences; National Academy of Sciences
• Subjects: Alleles; Animal genetics; Animals; Chromosome Mapping; Danio rerio; Dehydrogenases; Diploidy; Enzymes; Enzymes - genetics; Female; Fish; Freshwater; Genetic loci; Genetic mutation; Genetic Variation; Genetics; Genotype; Genotypes; Glucose-6-Phosphate Isomerase - biosynthesis; Glucose-6-Phosphate Isomerase - genetics; Homozygote; Isoenzymes - genetics; Malate Dehydrogenase - biosynthesis; Malate Dehydrogenase - genetics; Male; Muscle, Skeletal - enzymology; Mutation; Specimens; Zebrafish - genetics
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.92.26.12367

The C32 isogenic homozygous diploid (IHD) strain of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) was found to be polyallelic at a malate dehydrogenase locus (sMdh-A). A variant allele is thought to have arisen via mutation within the past 10 bisexual generations that have maintained the strain since its last gynogenetic cloning event; this unique allele now predominates at the sMdh-A locus. The estimated mutation rate in this species is sufficiently high that long-term genetic homogeneity of its IHD clones cannot be assumed. Researchers using such bisexually maintained clones should be aware that they are not necessarily using genetically uniform subjects. Genetic uniformity of cloned IHD zebrafish will be maximized if experimental subjects are obtained soon after a cloning event.