Genetic Structure of the Coho Salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch in the Rivers of Northeastern Russia according to the Data on the Variability of the Cytochrome B Gene of Mitochondrial DNA

Abstract

We note the special features of the genetic structure of coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum) populations from the rivers of the mainland coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, eastern Kamchatka, and Chukotka. The evolutionary age of the mitochondrial gene pool of this species from the studied localities is estimated. It is shown that the most widespread haplotype K1 appeared in coho salmon populations at the border of Middle and Late Pleistocene. The primary structure of the coho salmon Cytb protein is investigated. Radical substitutions in the amino acid sequence of this polypeptide are detected, which confirms the influence of the positive vector of directional selection.