title: Rapid isolation and cross-amplification of microsatellite markers in Plectritis congesta (Valerianaceae) with 454 sequencing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Microsatellite markers were isolated and characterized in Plectritis congesta for studying the evolution of this highly variable species.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We used 454 sequencing of DNA enriched for microsatellite repeats to develop microsatellite markers. This produced 262079 reads with an average length of 324 bp, representing approximately 800 microsatellite regions from which 48 primers were tested. Eleven markers reliably amplified without optimization. These primer pairs showed a high degree of heterozygosity and allelic diversity. Unexpectedly, half of the markers contained multiple peaks, with up to four alleles per individual, which suggests that either polyploidy or isolated gene duplication has occurred within this clade. These primers successfully cross-amplified in P. macrocera, indicating the utility of these markers for the genus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With variation in mating system and habitat, a mix of duplicated and nonduplicated markers, and high genetic variance, Plectritis is an ideal candidate model genus for studying the ecological and evolutionary consequences of gene duplication.
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. jrmcewen@ucalgary.ca
authors: Jamie R
authors: JR
authors: McEwen
authors: Jana C
authors: JC
authors: Vamosi
authors: Sean M
authors: SM
authors: Rogers
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006579:Heterozygote; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D059372:Nucleotide Motifs / Q000235:genetics; D011003:Ploidies; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods*; D013045:Species Specificity; D028161:Valerianaceae / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018744:DNA, Plant; D005819:Genetic Markers