A genetic linkage map of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei): sex-linked microsatellite markers and high recombination rates

Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) is the leading species farmed in the Western Hemisphere and an economically important aquaculture species in China. In this project, a genetic linkage map was constructed using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and microsatellite markers. One hundred and eight select AFLP primer combinations and 30 polymorphic microsatellite markers produced 2071 markers that were polymorphic in either of the parents and segregated in the progeny. Of these segregating markers, 319 were mapped to 45 linkage groups of the female framework map, covering a total of 4134.4 cM; and 267 markers were assigned to 45 linkage groups of the male map, covering a total of 3220.9 cM. High recombination rates were found in both parental maps. A sex-linked microsatellite marker was mapped on the female map with 6.6 cM to sex and a LOD of 17.8, two other microsatellite markers were also linked with both 8.6 cM to sex and LOD score of 14.3 and 16.4. The genetic maps presented here will serve as a basis for the construction of a high-resolution genetic map, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) detection, marker-assisted selection (MAS) and comparative genome mapping.