Identification and cross-species transferability of 112 novel unigene-derived microsatellite markers in tea (Camellia sinensis).

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Tea Unigene-derived MicroSatellite (TUGMS) markers were identified from the publicly available EST data in Camellia sinensis for characterization and future genome mapping studies in tea.

METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred twelve novel TUGMS markers were identified from 4356 unigenes derived by clustering of 12788 random ESTs in C. sinensis. Amplification-based validation of the TUGMS loci proved them to be highly polymorphic [an average (av.) of 5.24 alleles], heterozygous (H(E), av. 0.746; H(o), av. 0.566) and informative (PIC, av. 0.392). TUGMS loci were 100% transferable in cultivated C. assamica and C. assamica subsp. lasiocalyx and highly cross-transferrable to the related species C. japonica, C. rosiflora, and C. sasanqua.

CONCLUSIONS: These 112 novel highly polymorphic TUGMS markers with proven cross-species transferability will facilitate the future genetic diversity and genome mapping studies in tea.