Molecular identification of northern pike (Esox lucius L.) in Karamik Lake by DNA sequencing method

The aim of the study is to determine the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase (COI) gene locus sequences of pike (Esox lucius L.) species in Karamık Lake (Afyonkarahisar) and to make molecular identification of pike fish by DNA sequencing method. For this purpose, the universal FishF1 and FishR1 primers were used. The 653 bp partial specific nucleotides of the mtCOI gene were sequenced directly from each sample. The mtCOI gene sequences of 3 Esox lucius samples were identified as identical and no nucleotide variation was detected in the sequences. The percentage of nucleotides in the COI gene sequences is 23.1% (A) and 32.1% (T). According to the distance matrix of the COI sequence dataset obtained by PAUP, a minimum variation (0.1%) was observed between Esox lucius isolates (MW315200-MW315202) defined in this study and Esox lucius isolates registered in the genbank (KT716353, KT124233, MG951592, KC500713). In UPGMA analysis, Esox lucius isolates were grouped under the same cluster according to the COI gene sequence data. As a result, the COI gene sequences of pike fish in Karamık Lake were defined for the first time in this study and contribution was made to the studies of determining the genetic characteristics of this species on a global scale. The COI gene sequence results confirmed the taxonomic position of the Esox lucius identified according to its anatomical and morphological characteristics.