Development and characterization of microsatellite loci for the haploid-diploid red seaweed Gracilaria vermiculophylla.
Microsatellite loci are popular molecular markers due to their resolution in distinguishing individual genotypes. However, they have rarely been used to explore the population dynamics in species with biphasic life cycles in which both haploid and diploid stages develop into independent, functional organisms. We developed microsatellite loci for the haploid-diploid red seaweed Gracilaria vermiculophylla, a widespread non-native species in coastal estuaries of the Northern hemisphere. Forty-two loci were screened for amplification and polymorphism. Nine of these loci were polymorphic across four populations of the extant range with two to eleven alleles observed. Mean observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.265 to 0.527 and 0.317 to 0.387, respectively. Overall, these markers will aid in the study of the invasive history of this seaweed and further studies on the population dynamics of this important haploid-diploid primary producer.
Grice Marine Laboratory and the Department of Biology, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, USA.|Current affiliation: Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
Nicole M
NM
Kollars
Grice Marine Laboratory and the Department of Biology, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, USA.
Stacy A
SA
Krueger-Hadfield
Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
James E
JE
Byers
Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Charleston, SC, USA.
Thomas W
TW
Greig
Grice Marine Laboratory and the Department of Biology, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, USA.
Allan E
AE
Strand
Helmholtz-Zentrum fur Ozeanforschung Kiel (GEOMAR), Kiel, Germany.
Florian
F
Weinberger
Grice Marine Laboratory and the Department of Biology, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, USA.
Erik E
EE
Sotka
Biological invasions; Complex life cycles; Gracilaria vermiculophylla; Haploid-diploid; Microsatellites; Seaweed