Striped Wolffish genome

Genomic Studies of Species-At-Risk: Wolffish (Anarhichas spp.)
(KA Johnstone, HD Marshall, & SM Carr. 2007. Can J Zool 85, 115)

    Wolffish (Anarhichas spp.) include the first marine fish species to be listed by COSEWIC as Threatened under the Species-at-Risk Act (SARA). Wolffish, which inhabit specialized habitat along the margins of the Continental Shelf and Grand Banks, are taken as by-catch in other, directed fisheries. Numbers in some species have declined >90% as a result.  Their biology is poorly known. As part of the species recovery plan, we have investigated their population genomic structure.

    The project uses a novel genomic sequencing strategy, which identifies a few widely-dispersed, highly-conserved DNA sequences in other fish species, with sufficient homology to target sequences in a new, genetically unknown species. This provides "entry points" into the new genome, and it is possible to use "long range" PCR to amplify multi-kilobase regions [here: 4276, 4555, & 6835 bp amplicons)] that span the gaps in the genome, and then to “leap-frog” through these spans by successive design of new primers. The complete 16,543bp mtDNA genome sequences of Striped (Anarhichas lupus), Spotted (A. minor) and Broadhead Wolffish (A. denticulatus) have been obtained. Genomic analysis of the three species’ data will assist their recovery plans.
 
All material © 2007 by Steven M. Carr