SNPs to manage the ‘Deadliest catch' fishery of Alaska red king crab

Fifteen single-nucleotide-polymorphism (SNP) assays have been developed for red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus), a species which supports the ‘Deadliest Catch’ fishery in Alaska. Individual SNPs were discovered by 1) constructing a red king crab genomic DNA library, 2) sequencing a portion of 1339 random clones, 3) amplifying the homologous region from a collection of crab DNA isolated from widely separated locations, and 4) comparing the resulting sequences for polymorphisms. Taqman assays were designed for 39 putative SNPs and 15 were shown to be specific. These 15 SNPs were used to survey genetic variation among 18 populations extending across the North Pacific from Asia to SE Alaska and into the Bering Sea. Cluster analysis of genetic divergences revealed three distinct groups of populations: 1) Asia and Bering Sea, 2) central Gulf of Alaska, and 3) eastern Gulf of Alaska. An overall F_ST was 0.034.