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Abstract

Molecular diagnosis on strains of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus is fundamental step to study genetic diversity, this study was aim to reveal and compare the genetic structure of C. gariepinus from Benue and Donga River population. Thirty (30) matured C. gariepinus; 15 specimens each of Benue and Donga River were utilised for the molecular analytic study, DNA specimens were prepared for sequencing through PCR technique, partial genome sequences of 30 specimens covered 0.998% region of the Clarias gariepinus mitochondrion, total score compared to the whole genome ranged 0.99 -1.00%. The Tajima's neutrality test, revealed that the 561 positions in the 29 specimen sequences has 2 segregating sites (S), the nucleotide diversity () was 0.000869, and the Tajima test statistic D was -0.087728 while the tree diagram showed 3 clusters/haplotypes within 2 divergent clades. The Tajima's relative rate test showed that 557 identical sites out of the 558 positions in all the three haplotypes. Only one unique nucleotide difference occurred in haplotype 1. Alignment of the nucleotides showed a T -C point mutation/single nucleotide polymorphism at Locus 430 indicating that the genetic distance between the species is distinct. Analysis of the genetic diversity of the population revealed clearly different strains and their respective population structures.