Molecular DNA variation in koi (Cyprinus carpio) of various color patterns

Molecular DNA variations in koi (Cyprinus carpio) of various color patterns were studied by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) PCR. For DNA exami nation, nine strains were divided into two groups. Group one consisted of s anke, showa, yamatunishaki, kohaku and gold ohgon. Group two consisted of p latinum ohgon, orenji ohgon, nezu ohgon and kohaku. Four (ZG4, ZG8, I18 and 18498) of the 29 primers tested for this study amplified the DNA, resultin g in a polymorphic pattern. Genetic similarity between strains, as calculated by bandsharing (BS), show ed an identical pattern in yamatunishaki and sanke (99%) and close similari ty between ohgon and sanke (94%), ohgon (gold) and kohaku (88%), and sanke and kohaku (94%) with primers ZG4, ZG8 and 118. Using these same primers, t he BS of showa, compared with all the other strains, varied from 80 to 88%. Much higher genetic variation (low BS) was found in the comparisons betwee n platinum.