title: Isolation of 18 microsatellite loci in the desert mistletoe Phoradendron californicum (Santalaceae) via 454 pyrosequencing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Microsatellite primers were developed for the parasitic mistletoe Phoradendron californicum to investigate to what extent population genetic structure depends on host tree distribution within a highly fragmented landscape. •
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourteen unlinked polymorphic and four monomorphic nuclear microsatellite markers were developed using a genomic shotgun pyrosequencing method. A total of 187 alleles plus four monomorphic loci alleles were found in 98 individuals sampled in three populations from the Sonoran Desert in the Baja California peninsula (Mexico). Loci averaged 13.3 alleles per locus (range 4-28), and observed and expected heterozygosities within populations varied from 0.167-0.879 and 0.364-0.932, respectively. •
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Levels of polymorphism of the reported markers are adequate for studies of diversity and fragmentation in natural populations of this parasitic plant. Cross-species amplifications in P. juniperinum and P. diguetianum only showed four markers that could be useful in P. diguetianum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Calle Américo Vespucio s/n, E-41092 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Arroyo
authors.affiliation: Conservation Genetics Laboratory, School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Arizona, BSE-317, 1311 E. 4th St., Tucson, Arizona 85721 USA ; Environmental Planning and Conservation Program, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR), Mar Bermejo 195, Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita, La Paz, Baja California Sur 23090, Mexico ; Comunidad y Biodiversidad A.C., Boulevard Agua Marina 297, Colonia Delicias, Guaymas, Sonora 85420, Mexico.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Munguia-Vega
authors.affiliation: Environmental Planning and Conservation Program, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR), Mar Bermejo 195, Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita, La Paz, Baja California Sur 23090, Mexico.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Estrella
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Calle Américo Vespucio s/n, E-41092 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bascompte
keywords: Phoradendron californicum; SSR; mistletoe; parasitic plant; shotgun sequencing; toji