FISH GENETICS

Introduction

Genetics – a branch of biology which deals with the factors responsible for the
similarities and differences of biological organisms between generations.

GENETICS – came from the Greek word “gen” which means to become or to
grow. The term was authored by William Bateson
One generation – when parent produce offspring (1st filial generation) become parent and
produce offspring (2nd generation).

Four Major Areas of Genetics

1. Molecular Genetics – examine the structure of genes and the chemical processes
associated with genes. The molecular geneticist studies on replication and
mutation.
Replication – cells duplicate DNA molecules
Mutation – change in the genetic information that can result to the change
in phenotype (traits or characteristics which can be seen).
2. Mendelian or Transmission Genetics – traditional approach to heredity
Gregor Mendel – Father of Genetics, an Austrian Monk
- experimented on the garden pea.
- principle of transmission from one generation to the next,
patterns of inheritance.
Laws of Particulate Inheritance
1. Law of segregation
2. Law of independent assortment
3. Population Genetics – studies on the changes in the relative frequency of gene in the
population through time.
Population – group of individuals of the same species that live within the
same area.
A population geneticist studies how mutation and other processes of
evolution interact with one another
4. Qualitative Genetics – conceptually the most difficult because the effect of individual
genes can seldom be seen or measured and many genes contribute to the
expression of traits.

Pioneers in the Study of Genetics

1. Anton von Leeuwenhoek – microscope was the first giant step in the study of sperm
and egg cells
2. C. H. Wolff – (18th century) a German researcher who developed the concept about
chick embryo
3. Jean Baptist Lamark – work on the significance of the use and dis-use and the
inheritance of acquired characters
4. Charles Darwin – explained that reproductive cells contain pangenes (genes) which
were responsible for the blending of the parent’s traits in the offspring.
5. Thomas Hunt Morgan – discovered the principle of mutation in his study of the fruit
fly (Drosophila).
6. Dr. H. J. Muller – accepted a Nobel prize award for his work in genetics. He
discovered that exposure to X-rays and other radioactive substances could change
the genes in the gametes thus producing mutants.
7. Sir Francis Galton – conducted studies about “eugenics” , a specialized branch of
genetics dealing with the safeguarding and improving the human race through the
study of human inheritance
 Attributes of Genes
1. Gene is inherited from one generation to another generation in such a fashion that each
progyny has a physical copy of these materials.
2. Gene provides information regarding the structure, function and biological properties
of the individual.

Application of Genetics
1. Plant and animal improvement
a. high yielding crops
b. high efficiency in the production of almost all classes of livestock.
2. Medicine – genetic based diseases and abnormalities have been identified and
appropriate preventive measures prescribed.
Gene mapping – locate and identify genes on the chromosomes.
Gene therapy – a technique of treating hereditary disorders
3. Genetic counseling – informing couple of the possible defects of their offspring
Amniocentesis – the amniotic fluid is tested
4. Legal Application – tests to determine the real parent or the criminal
5. Genetic Engineering – techniques that alter the jeans or combination of gene in an
organism.
- altering the heredity and the descendants.

The Nucleus

Nucleus – considered as the cells heart and brain.

- carry genetic information/material that direct the synthesis of materials
necessary for cell and body function.
- director of cell activity and inheritance.
Chromosomes – threadlike bodies that are present in the nucleus
- somatic cells has 2 pairs of chromosomes
- sex cells has only one pair

Additive vs. Non-additive Gene Action

 In Additive gene action, the production of the genotype of the individual is in

additive stepwise manner
 Example is the G gene in rainbow trout
o Produces the golden, palomino and normally pigmented body color
phenotype

Genotype Phenotype
G’G Golden
GG’ Palomino (horse like reddish brown)
GG Normally pigmented

Pylogenetic trait – many genes affect the phenotype

Production traits – mostly affected by additive gene action

 Growth rate
 Carcass quality
 Carcass quantity
 Milk production
- traits controlled by additive gene will be medium to highly heritable ( you
can do pure breeding)

Non – additive gene = lowly heritable

= in this case it is more advisable to do crossbreeding
= produces hybrid vigor or heterosis
 = Heterosis – expressed when the average of the parent for a trait
is exceeded by the average of the offspring.

F1 ave. – P1 ave
% Hybrid vigor = P1 ave X 100 %
P1 ave

Dominant Lethal gene – a dominant gent that causes the death of the individual
who has that gene.
 Example is the S gene of Oreochromis aureus
 SS – death
 St – has saddleback ( reduced or no dorsal fin)
 tt – has normal dorsal fin

Population Genetics (PG)

Three reasons:
 the basic mechanism for evolutionary changes involves phenomenon described by
PG
 the principles of the application of population and quantitative genetics is
important in the success of program to improve breeds of plants and animals for
agriculture purposes
 a knowledge in PG in analyzing/ understanding the frequency of genetic disorders

Population – a group of interbreeding individuals of the same species that exist

together in time and space.

Electrophoresis/ genetic tests – determines how much is the genetic variation among
the population.

 To quantify the amount of genetic variation, determine the allelic or gene

frequency

f (allele) = 2 (homozygous phenotype) + heterozygous phenotype

2 (no. of fish in the population)

Gene frequency – relative abundance or relative rarity of a particular gene of a

population as compared to its own alleles in their particular population.

Forces that changes gene and genotypic frequency

 Non random mating

 Mutation
 Migration
 Genetic drift
 Selection – individuals possessing certain desirable traits are allowed to
produce the next generation.

2 Basic Characteristics of Economic Traits:

 The phenotype is influenced by genes at many loci
 The phenotype is influenced in part by environmental factors
 P = G + E ( P- phenotype; G – genes; E – environment)

Phenotypic variation – observable or measurable differences among individuals

within a population for a particular trait
  VP = VG + VE + VGXE
Causes of phenotypic variation:
 Heredity
o Individuals genotype are fixed at conception
o Individuals genetic make-up is determined by the genes that are
received from both parents
o Genetic similarities occur in identical twin and members of an inbred
line.
o Qualitative traits may show great variability because of the many
genes involved may express themselves phenotypically different in
either an additive or a non-additive manner.

Factors that Indicate the Type of Gene Action Affecting Economic Traits

Characteristics Type of Phenotypic Gene Expression

Additive Non-additive Both
Heritability High Low Medium
Amount of hybrid vigor None Considerable Some
Inbreeding depression None Considerable Some
Sex differences Large Small Small

 Environment
o Phenotypic variation due to environment are also of great importance
o Factors such as disease, nutrient supply, temperature effects, etc. that
the individual may encounter from the time of conception until its
death.
o It is important because:
 They are transmitted from parents to their offspring
 They overshadow or mask variations due to heredity
 Proper environment is necessary for an individual for it to
reach its full genetic potential
 Rapid improvements can be made by supplying uniform and
superior environmental conditions to breeding animals.
o Interaction between heredity and the environment (G X E)
o G X E means that animals of a certain genotype may perform more
satisfactorily in one environment than in another

Genetic variance (VG) – the sum of the additive genetic variance, dominance
genetic variance and epistasis genetic variance.

VG = VA + VD + VI

Value of the theory of variance components:

o Used to manipulate the population in order to improve productivity

o Quantification of VA , VD , and VI dictates the type of breeding program that can

be used to exploit the breed.

Most of the breeders assume VI = 0

o Because VI is very difficult to measure
o It is impossible to maximize the combination of alleles

VG = VA + VD

 VA and VD are diametrically opposed

 VD VA
 Cannot be inherited  Inherited
 Created anew each generation  Never disrupted
 Depend on allelic interaction  Independent on allelic interaction
 Exploited by hybridization  Exploited by selection

 VA and VD require different breeding programs in order to manipulate and

exploit the benefits that they produce.

VA and Selection

Selection – a breeding program in which individuals and families are chosen in an effort
to change the population mean in the next generation.
- Individuals are either selected or culled.
- Of the three types of genetic variance, selection is able to exploit only 1,
that is VA.
- VA is transmitted in predictable and reliable manner.
- The proportionate amount of Vp that is controlled by VA is called
heritability (h2)
h2 = VA
VP

Heritability – Describes the percentage of VP that is inherited in a predictable and

reliable manner because h2 describes the genetic component that is not disrupted by
meiosis.
- governor in any selection program
- ranges from 0 to 1

Prediction of Response to Selection

R = S h2
Where : R – response per generation (gain or loss)
S – selection differential (superiority or inferiority of the selected parents
over the population average.
h2 – heritability

- If h2 = 1.0, then R = S
- If h2 = 0, then R = 0