Research
Activities
| School of Biology and Biochemistry, The Queen’s
University of Belfast, N. Ireland. |
| Contact person (name and e-mail): |
| Persons working on brown trout
population genetics: |
| Alistair Duguid, Andy Ferguson, Rosaleen Hynes, Paulo
Prodöhl, (Oonagh McMeel, Caroline Thompson - ms preparation only). |
| General research topics of the
laboratory: |
| Genetic population structure,
phylogeography, conservation and management, reproduction biology. |
| General description of research on
brown trout population genetics: |
| Research on brown trout population genetics has been
undertaken since 1976 as part of wider research programmes on salmonid fish genetics, and
molecular ecology and systematics which have been ongoing since 1996. The studies have
been concerned with population structure, phylogeography, conservation, management and
life history strategies. Some work has also been carried out on hybridisation between
brown trout and Atlantic salmon. Early studies were allozyme based, but in recent years
this has been extended to include mitochondrial DNA, minisatellite, microsatellite and
specific coding genes including lactate dehydrogenase and transferrin. |
| List of projects (brown trout) for
the past 3 years: |
 Study #1 |
| Researcher: |
O. McMeel, A. Ferguson. |
| Collaborators: |
L. Hoey (Queen's University Belfast) |
| Source of project
funding: |
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). |
| Topic: |
Phylogeography, conservation and management, growth potential,
reproduction biology. |
| Objective: |
To obtain cDNA nucleotide sequences of the LDH-C1* 100
and *90 alleles for brown trout and, based on the sequence difference, to develop a
method for genotyping LDH-C1* after PCR amplification of genomic DNA from tissue
biopsies and archive material. This will facilitate further investigations of the
relationship between the LDH-C1* 100 allele and longevity (ferox trout)
using biopsy and scale samples. LDH sequence will also be valuable in further studies of
brown trout phylogeography. |
| Design: |
Produce cDNA by reverse transcriptase PCR of RNA isolated from
retinal tissue and sequence. Based on sequence difference rapid methods for screening
alleles from DNA will be developed. |
| Methodology: |
nDNA sequencing (LDH-C). |
| Trout population: |
Hatchery stocks and resident populations. |
| Origin of samples: |
UK, Atlantic Basin. |
| Status: |
Hopefully completed summer 1998. |
| Study #2 |
| Researcher: |
A. Duguid, P.Prodöhl, A. Ferguson |
| Collaborators: |
C. Adams; C. Bull |
| Source of project
funding: |
Dept of Education for NI until September 1998; Fisheries Society of
the British Isles Studentship 1998 - 2001. |
| Topic: |
Genetic population structure, phylogeography. |
| Objective: |
To determine the extent of population structuring within and among
brown trout in large freshwater lakes in Scotland. To determine the phylogeographic
origins of this diversity. To identify populations important for conservation for
fisheries management and protection of biodiversity. |
| Design: |
Population sampling of major lake systems especially those where
morphological information suggests that sympatric populations may exist. Population and
phylogeographic genetic analysis. |
| Methodology: |
Allozymes, nDNA sequencing (Tf, LDH-C, mtDNA sequencing, mtDNA RFLP,
microsatellites. |
| Trout population: |
Resident population. |
| Origin of samples: |
Scotland, Atlantic Basin. |
| Status: |
Started October 1997 - due for completion (PhD thesis) September
2001. |
| Study #3 |
| Researcher: |
R. Hynes, P. Prodöhl, A. Ferguson |
| Source of project
funding: |
University Internal funds. |
| Topic: |
Phylogeography. |
| Objective: |
To determine the temporal and spatial postglacial colonisation
patterns for brown trout in Britain and Ireland including the sympatric versus allopatric
origins of the sympatric populations of Lough Melvin. |
| Design: |
Sampling of unstocked freshwater and anadromous populations.
Phylogeographic analyses. |
| Methodology: |
MtDNA sequencing (ND genes), nDNA sequencing (Tf, LDH-C). |
| Trout population: |
Resident and anadromous populations. |
| Origin of samples: |
UK, Ireland, Atlantic Basin. |
| Status: |
Ongoing. |
| Study #4 |
| Researcher: |
C. Thompson, A.Ferguson |
| Collaborators: |
A. Youngson, J. Taggart |
| Source of project
funding: |
Department of Education for NI; Scottish Office Marine Laboratory
funds. |
| Topic: |
Genetic population structure. |
| Objective: |
To examine the genetic structure in river populations of brown trout
in Scotland and Ireland and to estimate gene flow among populations. To investigate the
relationship between anadromous and nonanadromous individuals from the same river system.
To carry out a detailed investigation of inter-tributary genetic variation in the Rivers
Dee and Don (Aberdeenshire). |
| Design: |
Sampling of some 1500 brown trout from 35 sites, some 75% of which
had open access to the sea, the remainder being from closed sites above impassable
barriers. |
| Methodology: |
Allozymes, mtDNA RFLP, minisatellite single locus probes. |
| Trout population: |
Resident and anadromous populations. |
| Origin of samples: |
Scotland, Ireland, Atlantic Basin. |
| Status: |
Completed (PhD thesis) 1995, publications in preparation. |
| Study #5 |
| Researcher: |
O. McMeel, P. Prodöhl, A. Ferguson |
| Collaborators: |
Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Iceland |
| Source of project
funding: |
Fisheries Society of the British Isles. |
| Topic: |
Genetic population structure, stocking effects and introgression,
phylogeography. |
| Objective: |
To examine the population genetic structure of brown trout in
Iceland based on eight populations from North, West and South West drainages. To examine
the impact of stocking of nonnative trout. To contribute to understanding of trout
postglacial colonisation of Iceland. |
| Design: |
Population genetic survey of pristine and stocked populations.
Population genetic and phylogeographic analyses. |
| Methodology: |
Minisatellite single locus probes. |
| Trout population: |
Resident populations. |
| Origin of samples: |
Iceland, Atlantic Basin. |
| Status: |
Analysis completed, PhD thesis 1996, manuscript at advanced stage of
preparation. |
| Study #6 |
| Researcher: |
O. McMeel, R. Hynes, A. Ferguson |
| Collaborators: |
A. Osinov, R.Ade, I.Togan |
| Source of project
funding: |
Fisheries Society of the British Isles. |
| Topic: |
Genetic population structure, phylogeography. |
| Objective: |
To examine genetic differentiation and phylogeographical
relationships in samples of brown trout from the Black, Caspian and Aral sea basins and to
integrate this with data already obtained from NW Europe. |
| Design: |
Population genetic and phylogeographic analyses. |
| Methodology: |
nDNA sequencing (Tf), minisatellite single locus probes. |
| Trout population: |
Resident and anadromous populations. |
| Origin of samples: |
Afghanistan, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, Black Sea Basin, Caspian Sea
Basin, Lake Aral. |
| Status: |
Analyses completed, PhD thesis 1996, manuscript in preparation. |
| Study #7 |
| Researcher: |
O. McMeel, A.Ferguson |
| Collaborators: |
R. Greer, A.Thorne |
| Source of project
funding: |
Fisheries Society of the British Isles. |
| Topic: |
Reproduction biology, phylogeography, conservation and management,
growth potential. |
| Objective: |
To examine the possible relationship between the LDH-C1* 100
allele, life history strategy, longevity (ferox trout) in Britain and Ireland. To
determine if ferox represent the remnants of a distinct postglacial colonist. |
| Design: |
Samples of long-lived ferox trout (6+ years) were obtained from
various lakes in Britain and Ireland and their LDH-C1* distribution genotype
compared against expected genotype distribution of random trout from these lakes. |
| Methodology: |
Allozymes, minisatellite single locus probes. |
| Trout population: |
Resident populations. |
| Origin of samples: |
Scotland, Ireland, Atlantic Basin. |
| Status: |
Snitial study completed, PhD
thesis 1996, manuscript in preparation; new studies as part of #2 and following on from
#1. |
| Study #8 |
| Researcher: |
P. Prodöhl, R. Hynes, A. Ferguson |
| Source of project
funding: |
Internal funds. |
| Topic: |
Genetic population structure. |
| Objective: |
To examine further the genetic relationships of the sympatric ferox,
gillaroo, and sonaghen populations of Lough Melvin and to compare the relative efficiency
of allozymes, mitochondrial DNA, minisatellites and microsatellites in determining these
relationships. |
| Design: |
Population genetic investigation using a range of molecular markers. |
| Methodology: |
Allozymes, mtDNA sequencing (ND genes), mtDNA RFLP, minisatellie
single locus probes, microsatellites. |
| Trout population: |
Resident populations. |
| Origin of samples: |
Ireland, Atlantic Basin. |
| Status: |
Ongoing. |
| Study #9 |
| Researcher: |
C. Thompson, O. McMeel, A.Ferguson |
| Collaborators: |
K. Hindar, M. Matthews, R. Poole, A. Youngson, J.Webb |
| Source of project
funding: |
EU AIR3 CT94 2484. |
| Topic: |
Natural hybridisation, reproduction biology. |
| Objective: |
To study hybridisation between brown trout and Atlantic salmon in
Britain and Ireland. To quantify hybridisation in pristine rivers and in rivers with
escaped farm salmon. To determine maternal parentage and orgin (wild / farmed) of hybrids.
To determine the occurrence of post-F1 hybrids in rivers known to have high levels of F1
hybrids. |
| Design: |
Genetic screening with species specific markers of systematically
sampled juvenile salmonids. |
| Methodology: |
Allozymes, mtDNA RFLP, scnDNA RFLP, minisatellite single locus
probes. |
| Trout population: |
Resident and anadromous populations. |
| Origin of samples: |
UK, Ireland, Atlantic Basin. |
| Status: |
Completed 1997. |
| Study #10 |
| Researcher: |
C. Thompson, A. Ferguson |
| Collaborators: |
M. Matthews, R. Poole, A. Youngson, J. Webb |
| Source of project
funding: |
EU AIR3 CT94 2484. |
| Topic: |
Reproduction biology. |
| Objective: |
To determine the incidence of secondary male contribution in the
fertilisation of anadromous and nonandromous brown trout ova in natural redds in the
Burrishoole system (western Ireland) and the river Don (Aberdeenshire, Scotland). |
| Design: |
Redds were excavated and samples of eyed eggs obtained. Screening at
three minisatellite loci was used to reconstruct the genotypes of the female and primary
male parents, and to estimate the success of secondary males. |
| Methodology: |
MtDNA RFLP, minisatellite single locus probes. |
| Trout population: |
Resident and anadromous populations. |
| Origin of samples: |
Ireland, Scotland, Atlantic Basin. |
| Status: |
Analyses completed, revised manuscript due for resubmission June
1998. |
Publications (brown trout genetics)
 Journal
papers:
- Cawdery, S.A.H. & Ferguson, A. (1988) Origins and differentiation of three sympatric
species of trout (Salmo trutta L.) in Lough Melvin. Pol. Arch. Hydrobiol.
35, 267-277.
- Crozier, W.W. & Ferguson, A. (1986). Electrophoretic examination of the population
structure of brown trout, Salmo trutta L., from the Lough Neagh catchment, Northern
Ireland. J. Fish Biol. 28, 459-477.
- Crozier, W.W. & Ferguson, A. (1993). Investigations on the brown trout (Salmo
trutta L.). In Lough Neagh (Wood, R.B. & Smith, R.V., eds.), pp. 419-437.
Dordrecht: Kluwer.
- Ferguson, A. & Mason, F.M. (1981) Allozyme evidence for reproductively isolated
sympatric populations of brown trout Salmo trutta L. in Lough Melvin, Ireland. J.
Fish Biol. 18, 629-642.
- Ferguson, A. & Fleming, C.C. (1983). Evolutionary and taxonomic significance of
protein variation in the brown trout (Salmo trutta L.). In Protein Polymorphism:
Adaptive and Taxonomic Significance (Oxford, G.S. & Rollinson, D., eds), pp.
85-99. Systematics Association Special Volume No. 24. London: Academic Press.
- Ferguson, A. (1986). Lough Melvin - A unique fish community. Royal Dublin Society
Occasional papers in Irish Science and Technology 1, 1-17.
- Ferguson, A. (1989). Genetic differences among brown trout, Salmo trutta, stocks
and their importance for the conservation and management of the species. Freshw. Biol.
21, 35-46.
- Ferguson, A. & Taggart, J.B. (1991). Genetic differentiation among sympatric brown
trout (Salmo trutta) populations of Lough Melvin, Ireland. Biol. J. Linn. Soc.
43, 221-237.
- Ferguson, A., Hynes, R.A., Prodöhl, P.A. & Taggart, J.B. (1995). Molecular
approaches to the study of genetic variation in salmonid fishes. Nord. J. Freshw. Res.
71, 23-32.
- Ferguson, A., Taggart, J.B., Prodöhl, P.A., McMeel, O., Thompson, C., Stone, C.,
McGinnity, P. & Hynes, R.A. (1995). The application of molecular markers to the study
and conservation of fish populations with special reference to Salmo. J. Fish
Biol. 47A, 103-126.
- Hamilton, K.E., Ferguson, A., Taggart, J.B., Tómasson, T., Walker, A. & Fahy, E.
(1989). Post-glacial colonization of brown trout, Salmo trutta L.: Ldh-5 as
a phylogeographic marker locus. J. Fish Biol. 35, 651-664.
- Henry, T. & Ferguson, A. (1985) Kinetic studies on the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH-5)
isozymes of brown trout, Salmo trutta L. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 82B, 95-98.
- Henry, T. & Ferguson, A. (1986) Kinetic studies on the lactate dehydrogenase
isozymes of brown trout, Salmo trutta L. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 85B,
491-496.
- Henry, T. & Ferguson, A. (1987) Phosphoglucose isomerase isozymes and allozymes of
the brown trout, Salmo trutta L. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 88B, 751-756.
- Hynes, R.A., Ferguson, A. & McCann, M.A. (1996) Variation in mitochondrial DNA and
post-glacial colonisation of north-west Europe by brown trout (Salmo trutta L.). J.
Fish Biol. 48, 54 - 67.
- McVeigh, H. & Ferguson, A. (1988). The applications of mitochondrial DNA analysis in
the study of the population biology of the brown trout Salmo trutta L. Pol.
Arch. Hydrobiol. 35, 287-294.
- McVeigh, H., Hynes, R. & Ferguson, A. (1995) Mitochondrial DNA differentiation of
sympatric populations of brown trout, Salmo trutta L., from Lough Melvin, Ireland. Can.
J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 52, 1617 - 1622.
- Prodöhl, P.A., Taggart, J.B. & Ferguson, A. (1992). Genetic variability within and
among sympatric brown trout (Salmo trutta) populations: multi-locus DNA fingerprint
analysis. Hereditas 117, 45-50.
- Prodöhl, P.A., Taggart, J.B. & Ferguson, A. (1994). Cloning of highly variable
minisatellite DNA single locus probes for brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) from a
phagemid library. In Genetics and Evolution of Aquatic Organisms (Beaumont, A.R.,
ed.), pp.263-270. London: Chapman & Hall.
- Prodöhl, P.A., Taggart, J.B. & Ferguson, A. (1994). Single locus inheritance and
joint segregation analysis of minisatellite (VNTR) DNA loci in brown trout (Salmo
trutta L.). Heredity 73, 556-566.
- Prodöhl, P.A., Taggart, J.B. & Ferguson, A. (1995) A panel of minisatellite (VNTR)
DNA locus specific probes for potential application to problems in salmonid aquaculture. Aquaculture
137, 87-97.
- Prodöhl, P.A., Walker, A.F., Hynes, R., Taggart, J.B. & Ferguson, A. (1997).
Genetically monomorphic brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) populations, as revealed by
mitochondrial DNA, multilocus and single locus minisatellite (VNTR) analyses. Heredity
78, 208-213.
- Taggart, J.B., Ferguson, A. & Mason, F.M. (1981). Genetic variation in Irish
populations of brown trout (Salmo trutta L.): electrophoretic analysis of
allozymes. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 69B, 393-412.
- Taggart, J.B. & Ferguson, A. (1984). Allozyme variation in the brown trout (Salmo
trutta L.): single locus and joint segregation inheritance studies. Heredity
53, 339-359.
- Taggart, J.B. & Ferguson, A. (1984). An electrophoretically-detectable genetic tag
for hatchery reared brown trout (Salmo trutta L.). Aquaculture 41, 119-130.
- Taggart, J.B. & Ferguson, A. (1986). Electrophoretic evaluation of a supplemental
stocking programme for brown trout, Salmo trutta L. Aquacult. Fish. Manage.
17, 155-162.
- Taggart, J.B. & Ferguson, A. (1990). Minisatellite DNA fingerprints of salmonid
fishes. Anim. Genet. 21, 377-389.
Theses (eg, PhD and MSc theses):
- Taggart, J.B. (1981) An electrophoretic study of genetic variation in Irish brown trout
(Salmo trutta L.). PhD thesis. The Queen’s University of Belfast, N. Ireland.
- Crozier, W.W. (1983) Population biology of Lough Neagh brown trout (Salmo trutta
L.). PhD thesis. The Queen’s University of Belfast, N. Ireland.
- Fleming, C.C. (1983) Population biology of anadromous brown trout (Salmo trutta
L.) in Britain and Ireland. PhD thesis. The Queen’s University of Belfast, N.
Ireland.
- Henry, T. (1984) Lactate dehydrogenase and phosoglucose isomerase isozymes and allozymes
of the brown trout (Salmo trutta L.). PhD thesis. The Queen’s University of
Belfast, N. Ireland.
- Hamilton, K.E. (1987). Structural and regulatory gene variation in salmonid fishes. PhD
thesis. The Queen’s University of Belfast, N. Ireland.
- Cawdery, S.A.H. (1988) Morphological and biochemical population differentiation in
salmonid fishes. PhD thesis. The Queen’s University of Belfast, N. Ireland.
- McVeigh, H.P. (1989) Mitochondrial DNA and salmonid population structure. PhD thesis.
The Queen’s University of Belfast, N. Ireland.
- Prodöhl, P.A. (1993) Multilocus and single locus minisatellite DNA polymorphism in
brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) populations. PhD thesis. The Queen’s University
of Belfast, N. Ireland.
- Thompson, C.E.M. (1995) Population genetics of anadromous brown trout (Salmo trutta
L.) in Scotland and Ireland. PhD thesis. The Queen’s University of Belfast, N.
Ireland.
- McMeel, O.M. (1996) Molecular phylogenetics of brown trout (Salmo trutta L.)
populations. PhD thesis. The Queen’s University of Belfast, N. Ireland.
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