Evaluating SNP ascertainment bias and its impact on population assignment in Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua

摘要: The increasing use of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in studies nonmodel organisms accentuates the need to evaluate influence ascertainment bias on accurate ecological or evolutionary inference. Using a panel 1641 expressed sequence tag-derived SNPs developed for northwest Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), we examined and its potential impact assignment individuals populations ranging widely origin. We hypothesized that reductions success would be associated with lower diversity geographical regions outside location ascertainment. Individuals were genotyped from 13 locations spanning much contemporary range cod. Diversity, measured as average sample heterozygosity number polymorphic loci, declined (c. 30%) western (H(e) = 0.36) eastern 0.25) Atlantic, consistent signal bias. Assignment was separately pools loci representing differing degrees diversity. displaying largest declines produced most region 83%) lowest levels correct 31%). Interestingly, several isolated showed no effect consistently displayed 100% assignment. Contrary expectations, estimates range-wide using all remarkable similarity despite Our results support large SNP panels high geneflow marine species. However, our evidence significant some suggests may should evaluated large-scale studies.