An assessment of the AFLP method for investigating population structure in the red alga Chondrus crispus Stackhouse (Gigartinales, Florideophyceae)

The appropriateness of the Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) technique for investigating Chondrus crispus Stackhouse populations in the Maritime Provinces of Canada was assessed. The AFLP procedure was first subjected to reproducibility testing and three shortcomings were noted: 1) failure to reproduce band intensity between replicate runs for the same individual and primer pair; 2) failure of some bands to replicate; 3) lack of reproducibility for complete replicate runs for some individuals and primer pairs. In the last-mentioned case, the lack of reproducibility resulted in characteristic electropherograms indicative of weak reactions. These weak runs can be attributed to poor restriction digest/ligation reactions and/or substandard PCR, these failures ultimately resulting from low and inconsistent DNA quality. We recommend that reproducibility testing should be completed routinely in studies using the AFLP technique. In the current work, only fragments and individuals that gave reproducible results were used in subsequent analyses. The AFLP method resulted in highly variable markers within and between the populations of C. crispus included in this investigation, which prevented successful resolution of population structure. This situation could result from a lack of suitability for AFLP markers in population genetic studies, and/or too extensive genetic variation for C. crispus populations to be discerned by the AFLP technique. These two possible explanations are discussed.