title: A simple method for the calculation of microsatellite genotype distances irrespective of ploidy level.
abstract: Abstract Microsatellites are powerful molecular markers, used commonly to estimate intraspecific genetic distances. With the exception of band sharing similarity index, available distance measures were developed specifically for diploid organisms and are unsuited for comparisons of polyploids. Here, we present a simple method for calculation of microsatellite genotype distances, which takes into account mutation processes and permits comparison of individuals with different ploidy levels. This method should provide a valuable tool for intraspecific analyses of polyploid organisms, which are widespread among plants and some animal taxa. An illustration is given using data from the planarian flatworm Schmidtea polychroa (Platyhelminthes).
authors.affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Animal Evolution and Ecology, Westphalian Wilhelms-University, Hüfferstr. 1, 48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Ruzica
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bruvo
authors.forename: Nicolaas K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Michiels
authors.forename: Thomas G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: D'Souza
authors.forename: Hinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schulenburg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017931:DNA Primers; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D007558:Italy; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010932:Planarians / Q000235:genetics; D011003:Ploidies
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers