title: Development and evaluation of microsatellite markers for Acer miyabei (Sapindaceae), a threatened maple species in East Asia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Twelve microsatellite markers were developed and characterized in a threatened maple species, Acer miyabei (Sapindaceae), for use in population genetic analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using Ion Personal Genome Machine (PGM) sequencing, we developed microsatellite markers with perfect di- and trinucleotide repeats. These markers were tested on a total of 44 individuals from two natural populations of A. miyabei subsp. miyabei f. miyabei in Hokkaido Island, Japan. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to eight. The observed and expected heterozygosities per locus ranged from 0.05 to 0.75 and from 0.05 to 0.79, respectively. Some of the markers were successfully transferred to the closely related species A. campestre, A. platanoides, and A. pictum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The developed markers will be useful in characterizing the genetic structure and diversity of A. miyabei and will help to understand its spatial genetic variation, levels of inbreeding, and patterns of gene flow, thereby providing a basis for conservation.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-8-3 Kasuga, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0821, Japan ; Makino Herbarium, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Ikuyo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Saeki
authors.affiliation: Sugadaira Montane Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 1278-294 Sugadaira-kogen, Ueda, Nagano 386-2204, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Hirao
authors.affiliation: Sugadaira Montane Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 1278-294 Sugadaira-kogen, Ueda, Nagano 386-2204, Japan.
authors.forename: Tanaka
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kenta
keywords: Acer miyabei; Ion PGM sequencing; Sapindaceae; maple; microsatellite; threatened species