Genetic characterization of Lithuanian honeybee lines based on ISSR polymorphism

This study presents the first results from the selection and evaluation of inter-simple sequence repeat markers for the genetic assessment of honeybee lines developed in Lithuania and introduced subspecies. Two Lithuania-bred lines of Apis mellifera carnica were compared to those introduced from Czech Republic and Slovenia and also to a subspecies introduced from the Caucasus (Apis mellifera caucasica) and local Buckfast hybrids. The genetic constitution was assayed with four simple sequence primers: (ATG)₅GA, (TCC)₅GT, (AGAC)₄GC and (GACA)₄GT. Trinucleotide motif primers used in the bee DNA assays produced five to 10 fragments and tetranucleotide ones, six to seven. Primer (TCC)₅GT generated a distinct A. m. caucasica-specific 800-bp fragment, which was also present in 40 % of the Buckfast individuals. A dendrogram based on the UPGMS method generated four sub-clusters. One of the Lithuania-bred A. m. carnica lines clustered apart from the other A. m. carnica lines. In a rooted phylogenetic tree, the group containing A. m. caucasica and Buckfast hybrids appeared well differentiated from the A. m. carnica lines.