Author(s): Chandan Haldar

Abstract: In fisheries, optimization of the desirable traits such as resistance to diseases, meat quality and body growth is very essential. These traits have a high influence on the profitability of fish farmers. Several generations of selection are needed to improve in these traits through traditional phenotype-based selection method and complex qualitative trait like meat quality is tough to measure for proper selection. In candidate gene approach, some pre-specified genes responsible for the trait of interest are selected. Then genetic variations within these genes are used as a molecular marker to study their association with the desirable phenotypes. It is different from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) where the entire genome is scanned for common genetic variation, but here it only focused on the target genes. As the genetic variation directly impacts the function of the gene in question so the biological function of the genes and its impact on the trait should be known to be selected. Here genetic variation in the candidate gene of target individuals is compared with the control individuals to study the variation responsible for the target phenotype. The allele frequency of a candidate gene is calculated in case and control to check the frequency level in target individuals compared to control. Improvement of performance traits through candidate gene approach is fast and more accurate and allows us to understand the genetic mechanism affecting performance traits in fishes.

Pages: 162-165  |  1049 Views  190 Downloads

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