In genomic selection, tens of thousands of DNA markers are analyzed from tissue samples of individuals to predict the genetic potential of parents to transmit preferred fish traits to progeny. In the project ARCTAQUA, the tissue samples collected from individual European whitefish belonging to the Finnish national breeding program were analyzed in Luke’s laboratory that is located in Jokioinen (Tarja Hovivuori and Anneli Virta in the below images worked with the samples). Employing the next-generation sequencing protocol developed by Luke, 15 000 DNA variants were identified. These variants can be used as markers for genomic determination of production, quality and health traits, and to construct pedigrees as well as develop genomic selection for more sustainable aquaculture.
