title: Genetic relationships in the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) analysed by microsatellite DNA markers.
abstract: Microsatellite DNA markers were developed from a peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) and genetic relationships among peregrine falcons in southern Norway were analysed using the markers. The genomic DNA library was screened for the presence of dinucleotide microsatellite repeats. Twelve loci revealed polymorphism through the initial analysis of 24 unrelated peregrine falcons, and Mendelian inheritance was confirmed in two peregrine falcon families bred in captivity. The estimated mean probability of identical genotypes in two unrelated individuals was 3 x 10-8, and the combined exclusion probability for parentage testing was 0.99 and 0.94 for one or both parents unknown, respectively. The markers were used to investigate the parentage of peregrine broods from the same nest site from different breeding seasons, and subsequently the nest-site fidelity of the breeding peregrines. High nest-site fidelity was found by studying pairwise comparisons of relatedness (rxy) estimates among chicks at six nest sites from three different breeding seasons. Cross-species amplifications showed that most loci also appeared to amplify polymorphic products in the gyrfalcon (F. rusticolus), merlin (F. columbarius), hobby (F. subbuteo) and kestrel (F. tinnunculus), demonstrating that the loci will provide powerful genetic markers in these falcons too.
authors.affiliation: Division of Genetics, Department of Morphology, Genetics and Aquatic Biology, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, PO Box 8146 Dep., N-0033 Oslo, Norway. marit.nesje@veths.no
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nesje
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Røed
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lifjeld
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lindberg
authors.forename: O F
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Steen
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D015698:Genomic Library; D006579:Heterozygote; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009425:Nesting Behavior; D009664:Norway; D010152:Pair Bond; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D020304:Raptors / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers