Chromosomal localization of 5S rDNA in Chinese shrimp (Fenneropenaeus chinensis): a chromosome-specific marker for chromosome identification

Chinese shrimp (Fenneropenaeus chinensis) is an economically important aquaculture species in China. However, cytogenetic and genomic data is limited in the organism partly because the chromosomes are difficult to isolate and analyze. In this study, fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) was used to identify the chromosomes of F. chinensis. The 5S ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) of F. chinensis was isolated, cloned and then used as a hybridization probe. The results show that the 5S rDNA was located on one pair of homologous chromosomes in F. chinensis. In addition, triploid shrimp were used to evaluate the feasibility of chromosome identification using FISH and to validate the method. It was confirmed that 5S rDNA can be used as a chromosome-specific probe for chromosome identification in F. chinensis. The successful application of FISH in F. chinensis shows that chromosome-specific probes can be developed and this finding will facilitate further research on the chromosomes of penaeid shrimps.