title: Development and characterization of microsatellite markers from the transcriptome of Firmiana danxiaensis (Malvaceae s.l.).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Firmiana consists of 12-16 species, many of which are narrow endemics. Expressed sequence tag (EST)-simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were developed and characterized for size polymorphism in four Firmiana species. •
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 102 EST-SSR primer pairs were designed based on the transcriptome sequences of F. danxiaensis; these were then characterized in four Firmiana species-F. danxiaensis, F. kwangsiensis, F. hainanensis, and F. simplex. In these four species, 17 primer pairs were successfully amplified, and 14 were polymorphic in at least one species. The number of alleles ranged from one to 13, and the observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0 to 1 and 0 to 0.925, respectively. The lowest level of polymorphism was observed in F. danxiaensis. •
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These polymorphic EST-SSR markers are valuable for conservation genetics studies in the endangered Firmiana species.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Sufang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Mingwan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shiyang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Renchao
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wenbo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liao
keywords: Firmiana danxiaensis; Malvaceae; microsatellites; transcriptome; transferability