A fixed allele at microsatellite locus LS-39 exhibiting species-specificity for the black caviar producer Acipenser stellatus

The sturgeon microsatellite LS-39 was amplified across 10 different species of Acipenserinae and exhibited the potential to identify the black caviar producer Acipenser stellatus on a genomic DNA level. This was because of a fixed allele of 111 bp, which was absent in the other species which were in vestigated. Concerning the source of sturgeon species, LS-39 is the first n uclear marker described to examine black caviar. Furthermore, new light is shed on the controversial ploidy state of sturgeons. The present authors fi ndings at this microsatellite locus support the hypothesis that extant simi lar to 120 chromosomal species are modern diploids, whereas sturgeons with similar to 240 chromosomes should be considered as modern tetraploids.