Tandem repeat arrays in the mitochondrial genome as a tool for detecting genetic differences among the ark shell Scapharca broughtonii

We found that tandem repeat (TR) arrays were present in the ark shell Scapharca broughtonii mitochondrial genome, and we demonstrated the efficiency of using this TR region as a tool for the detection of genetic differentiation. In samples collected from seven populations off the Japanese, Chinese, Russian and Korean coasts, five TR types with length ranging from 481 to 601 bp (base pairs) were found, as were 18 haplotypes (n = 155). All the Japanese samples from SD, IK, AM and KG, which represented four geographically distinct populations, had the same type of tandem repeat array, 481‐TR. All the samples from China and all but one sample from Russia had the same TR type, 511‐TR; these finding may be strong evidence that the ark shell populations in China and Russia are very similar. Based on a neighbor‐joining dendrogram of haplotypes, the Korean population was divided into two groups as follows: samples with haplotype H481‐3 and samples with haplotypes H601‐1, H601‐2, H601‐3 or H541‐1. Based on the haplotype diversity and nucleotide diversity, the Chinese, Russian and Korean populations showed a higher diversity than Japanese populations (P < 0.05).     

Asia-Pacific mussel watch: monitoring contamination of persistent organochlorine compounds in coastal waters of Asian countries

Contamination of persistent organochlorines (OCs) such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), DDT and its metabolites (DDTs), HCH (hexachlorocyclohexane) isomers (HCHs), chlordane compounds (CHLs), and HCB (hexachlorobenzene) were examined in mussels collected from coastal waters of Asian countries such as Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Far East Russia, Singapore, and Vietnam in 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2001 to elucidate the contamination status, distribution and possible pollution sources and to assess the risks on aquatic organisms and human. OCs were detected in all mussels collected from all the sampling sites investigated. Considerable residue levels of p,p(')-DDT and alpha-HCH were found in mussels and the concentrations of DDTs and HCHs found in mussels from Asian developing countries were higher than those in developed nations suggesting present usage of DDTs and HCHs along the coastal waters of Asian developing countries. On the other hand, lower concentrations of PCBs detected in mussels from Asian developing countries than those in developed countries indicate that PCBs contamination in mussels is strongly related to industrial and activities. To our knowledge, this is a first comprehensive report on monitoring OCs pollution in the Asia-Pacific region.