An investigation of enzyme and other protein polymorphisms in Japanese stocks of the tilapias Oreochromis niloticus and Tilapia zillii

Samples of Oreochromis niloticus and Tilapia zillii were collected from the hatcheries of Osaka Prefecture Fisheries Experimental Station and Shiga Prefecture Fisheries Experimental Station, Japan, respectively. The samples were used for screening polymorphisms in 13 enzymes, skeletal muscle proteins and hemoglobins by horizontal starch gel electrophoresis. Among 35 loci examined, 12 loci for the 10 enzymes, sarcoplasmic protein and hemoglobins were polymorphic in O. niloticus and 2 loci for 2 enzymes were polymorphic in T. zillii. The observed numbers of phenotypes for respective loci agreed well with Hardy-Weinberg expectations. The genetic basis for each polymorphism is discussed. This investigation provides basis information on the status of these tilapias in Japan.