title: Development of polymorphic microsatellite loci in Nothapodytes nimmoniana, a medicinally important tree from the Western Ghats, India.
abstract: Nothapodytes nimmoniana is a medicinally important tree species that occur in the Western Ghats, a megadiversity hotspot in southern India. Inner stem bark of the tree contains an important anti-cancer alkaloid, camptothecin for which the natural population of the tree is heavily harvested. In this paper, we report the isolation and characterization of eight polymorphic microsatellite loci using enrichment hybridization protocol. Analysis of 36 individuals representing two populations revealed three to 12 alleles per locus. Observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.21 to 0.94 for the two populations. None of the loci tested showed linkage disequilibrium. These markers are invaluable for evaluating the genetic structure and assessing the genetic impacts of harvesting of N. nimmoniana in the Western Ghats to formulate strategies for conservation of the species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Gandhi Krishi Vignan Kendra, Bellary Road, Bangalore 560 065, India.
authors.forename: B T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Ramesha
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Srirama
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ravikanth
authors.forename: K V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Ravishankar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dayanandan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sreejayan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vasudeva
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Ganeshaiah
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Uma Shaanker