title: Development of nuclear microsatellites for the Arcto-Tertiary tree Zelkova carpinifolia (Ulmaceae) using 454 pyrosequencing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The current study aimed at developing nuclear microsatellite markers for the relict tree species Zelkova carpinifolia, which is threatened in its natural range in the South Caucasus. •
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pyrosequencing of an enriched microsatellite library on the Roche FLX platform using the 454 Titanium kit produced 86,058 sequence reads, most of which contained short tandem repeats. Eighty microsatellite loci identified using the software package QDD version 1 were selected and tested for proper PCR amplification. Of these, 13 allowed proper amplification and were shown to be polymorphic among a sample of 25 Z. carpinifolia specimens from various geographic origins. •
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The set of microsatellite markers will be suitable for the assessment of genetic diversity in Z. carpinifolia. They will allow for an examination of phylogeographic patterns as well as of population structure and gene flow within this species.
authors.affiliation: Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin Luise-Straße 6-8, 14195 Berlin, Germany ; Institute of Botany, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, 40 Badamdar Highway, Baku AZ1073, Azerbaijan.
authors.forename: Elmira H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Maharramova
authors.affiliation: Institut für Biologie-Botanik, Dahlem Centre of Plant Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstraße 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Ludo A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.affiliation: Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin Luise-Straße 6-8, 14195 Berlin, Germany ; Institut für Biologie-Botanik, Dahlem Centre of Plant Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstraße 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Nadja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Korotkova
authors.affiliation: Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin Luise-Straße 6-8, 14195 Berlin, Germany ; Institut für Biologie-Botanik, Dahlem Centre of Plant Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstraße 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Borsch
keywords: Ulmaceae; Zelkova carpinifolia; conservation genetics; microsatellites; phylogeography; pyrosequencing