Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci from Pterocarya stenoptera (Juglandaceae).

Premise of the Study: Microsatellite markers of Pterocarya stenoptera (Juglandaceae) were developed for future studies on the population genetic diversity and spatial genetic structure of the species.

Methods and Results: Based on Illumina sequencing of the transcriptome of P. stenoptera , a total of 2452 microsatellites were identified from 83,674 assembled unigenes. One hundred microsatellites were randomly selected to design amplification primer pairs. Of these, 15 were successfully amplified and displayed polymorphism. For these markers, the number of alleles per locus and population ranged from one to six. The levels of observed and expected heterozygosity varied from 0.000 to 1.000 and 0.000 to 0.718, respectively. Furthermore, all of the 15 loci were successfully cross-amplified in another congeneric species ( P. hupehensis ) and were demonstrated to be polymorphic.

Conclusions: The microsatellite loci described here can be used for future population genetic and landscape genetic studies on P. stenoptera .