A molecular tool for genetic surveys in the red coral (Corallium rubrum): An Inter-Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSRs) perspective

Corallium rubrum is a colonial cnidarian, distributed in Mediterranean and Atlantic rocky bottoms. The species has been largely exploited for use in jewellery since 17th century, raising increasing concerns for the sustainability of the present rate of harvesting. The aim of this study was to standardise a simple and not expensive molecular technique to perform genetic analysis on populations of C. rubrum, in order to provide a useful tool for future surveys. Twelve samples collected from one shallow-water and two deep sites located at the Capo Caccia–Isola Piana MPA (North-western Sardinia, Italy) were surveyed by means of 10 ISSR (Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat) primers. Our results confirmed the ease of use and the reliability of ISSR markers, and their usefulness in detecting genetic variability even among individuals.