Development of multiplex microsatellite PCR panels for the seagrass Thalassia hemprichii (Hydrocharitaceae).
OBJECTIVE
New microsatellites were developed for the seagrass Thalassia hemprichii (Hydrocharitaceae), a long-lived seagrass species that is found throughout the shallow waters of tropical and subtropical Indo-West Pacific. Three multiplex PCR panels were designed utilizing new and previously developed markers, resulting in a toolkit for generating a 16-locus genotype. •


RESULTS
Through the use of microsatellite enrichment and next-generation sequencing, 16 new, validated, polymorphic microsatellite markers were isolated. Diversity was between two and four alleles per locus totaling 36 alleles. These markers, plus previously developed microsatellite markers for T. hemprichii and T. testudinum, were tested for suitability in multiplex PCR panels. •


CONCLUSIONS
The generation of an easily replicated suite of multiplex panels of codominant molecular markers will allow for high-resolution and detailed genetic structure analysis and clonality assessment with minimal genotyping costs. We suggest the establishment of a T. hemprichii primer convention for the unification of future data sets.
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia.
Kor-Jent
KJ
van Dijk
Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research (TropWATER), James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia.
Jane
J
Mellors
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia ; Environment Institute, The University of Adelaide and State Herbarium of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Michelle
M
Waycott
Hydrocharitaceae; Thalassia hemprichii; clonality; microsatellites; population genetics; seagrass