Assessment of the Genetic Homogeneity of 10 Silkworm Genotypes (Bombyx mory L.) by RAPD Markers

Abstract

In this study, 10 RAPD primers were used to investigate the genetic homogeneity at molecular level of 10 silkworm genotypes (each genotype consists of 5 males and 5 females). The homogeneity was assessed by the homomorphism and the number of amplified DNA fragments. The obtained results showed that the percentage of homomorphism of amplified DNA fragment ranges from 68.83% (GQ11) to 91.66% (GQ13). Ten RAPD primers generated total 333 bands. The numbers of DNA amplified fragments per 10 primer ranged from 20 (OPN05) in  GQ14 genotype to 51 (OPP19) in GQ15 genotype.. The number of fragments ranged from 1 to 11 per primer, and  from 200 bp to 1800 bp in length. Among studied silkworm genotypes, the least genetic similarity coefficient was found in GQ11 genotype with values varied from 0.629 to 1.000 and the highest coefficient was GQ13 genotype with the values varied  from 0.864 to 1.000. The homogeneity level of ten silkworm genotypes was in the following order: GQ13  >  GQ14  > L2 > GQ23  >  GQ16  > A18  >  GQ17  >  GQ15  >  GQ12  >  GQ11