Vol. 43 No. 4, 2004
Variable
Numbers of Tandem Repeats (VNTRs), Heteroplasmy, and Sequence Variation
of the Mitochondrial Control Region in the Threespot Dascyllus, Dascyllus trimaculatus (Perciformes: Pomacentridae)
Chaolun
Allen Chen1,2, Maria Carmen Anonuevo Ablan3, John Williams McManus3,
Johann Diepernk Bell3, Vo Si Tuan4, Annadel Sarmiento Cabanban5,
Kwang-Tsao Shao1,*
1Institute of Zoology, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei, Taiwan 115
2Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106
3WorldFish Center, Penang 11960, Malaysia
4Department of Marine Living Resources, Institute of Oceanography, Nha Trang, Vietnam
5Borneo Marine Research Laboratory, University of Malaysia, Sabah 88999, Malaysia
Chaolun
Allen Chen, Maria Carmen Anonuevo Ablan, John Williams McManus, Johann
Diepernk Bell, Vo Si Tuan, Annadel Sarmiento Cabanban, Kwang-Tsao Shao
(2004) The primary structure of the Dascyllus trimaculatus
mitochondrial (mt) control region was determined, and conserved
features were identified based on sequence comparisons to other
teleostean fish species. Three termination-associated sequence (TAS)
motifs, a central conserved sequence block (CSB), and a pyrimidine
tract were identified, indicating that the organization of the mt
control region in D. trimaculatus
is similar to those reported for other teleosts. However, 2 sets of
variable number of tandem repeats (VNTRs), denoted R1 and R2, which
simultaneously occur at both the 5' - and 3' -ends of the mt control
region are first reported herein in teleost fish. Analysis of
amplification of the VNTRs indicated that heteroplasmy is common for
both sets of VNTRs. VNTRs also respond to sequence length variation of
the D. trimaculatus mt
control region. A relatively high proportion of VNTR copy number
variations and heteroplasmy indicate the potential utility of VNTRs as
markers for assessing three-spot dascyllus population-level variability.
Key words: Three-spot dascyllus, Mitochondrial control region, VNTR, Heteroplasmy, Teleost.
*Correspondence: Tel: 886-2-27899545. Fax: 886-2-27858059. E-mail: zoskt@gate.sinica.edu.tw

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