title: Identification and Evaluation of 21 Novel Microsatellite Markers from the Autumnal Moth (Epirrita autumnata) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae).
abstract: The autumnal moth (Epirrita autumnata) is a cyclically outbreaking forest Lepidoptera with circumpolar distribution and substantial impact on Northern ecosystems. We have isolated 21 microsatellites from the species to facilitate population genetic studies of population cycles, outbreaks, and crashes. First, PCR primers and PCR conditions were developed to amplify 19 trinucleotide loci and two tetranucleotide loci in six multiplex PCR approaches and then analyzed for species specificity, sensitivity and precision. Twelve of the loci showed simple tandem repeat array structures while nine loci showed imperfect repeat structures, and repeat numbers varied in our material between six and 15. The application in population genetics for all the 21 microsatellites were further validated in 48 autumnal moths sampled from Northern Norway, and allelic variation was detected in 19 loci. The detected numbers of alleles per locus ranged from two to 13, and the observed and expected heterozygosities varied from 0.04 to 0.69 and 0.04 to 0.79, respectively. Evidence for linkage disequilibrium was found for six loci as well as indication of one null allele. We find that these novel microsatellites and their multiplex-PCR assays are suitable for further research on fine- and large-scale population-genetic studies of Epirrita autumnata.
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research, Svanhovd, 9925 Svanvik, Norway. siv.grethe.aarnes@nibio.no.
authors.forename: Siv Grethe
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Aarnes
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research, Svanhovd, 9925 Svanvik, Norway. Ida.floystad@nibio.no.
authors.forename: Ida
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fløystad
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research, Svanhovd, 9925 Svanvik, Norway. julia.schregel@nibio.no.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schregel
authors.affiliation: Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, University of Tromsø, 9294 Tromsø, Norway. ole.p.vindstad@uit.no.
authors.forename: Ole Petter Laksforsmo
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Vindstad
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), 9296 Tromsø, Norway. Jane.Jepsen@nina.no.
authors.forename: Jane Uhd
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Jepsen
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research, Svanhovd, 9925 Svanvik, Norway. hansgeir.eiken@nibio.no.
authors.forename: Hans Geir
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Eiken
authors.affiliation: Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, University of Tromsø, 9294 Tromsø, Norway. rolf.ims@uit.no.
authors.forename: Rolf A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ims
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research, Svanhovd, 9925 Svanvik, Norway. snorre.hagen@nibio.no.
authors.forename: Snorre B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Hagen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D056426:Genetic Loci; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D009036:Moths / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D009664:Norway; D013045:Species Specificity
keywords: Lepidoptera; multiplex PCR; population genetics; tri- and tetranucleotide microsatellites