Eight new microsatellite markers in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) derived from an enriched genomic library

One hundred and fifty random clones from an enriched genomic library of Atlantic cod were sequenced. Primer pairs were designed for 15 microsatellites containing perfect di-, tri-, tetra- and hexanucleotide repeats and characterized in 96 unrelated fish. Eight markers were successfully amplified, with the number of alleles ranging from two to nine per locus and observed heterozygosity ranging from 0.341 to 0.977. Loci Gmo-G13 and Gmo-G14 had a significant excess of homozygotes. All loci conformed to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Genetic linkage disequilibrium analysis between all pairs of the loci showed no significant departure from the null hypothesis between any of the loci.