title: Transcriptome-derived microsatellite markers for Dioon (Zamiaceae) cycad species.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dioon (Zamiaceae) is an endangered North American cycad genus of evolutionary and ornamental value. We designed and validated a set of microsatellite markers from D. edule that can be used for population-level and conservation studies, and that transferred successfully to D. angustifolium, D. spinulosum, and D. holmgrenii.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We tested 50 primers from 80 microsatellite candidate loci in the OneKP D. edule transcriptome. Genotypes from 21 loci in 20 D. edule individuals revealed up to 14 alleles per locus and observed heterozygosity from 0.15 to 0.92; one locus was monomorphic. Seven of those 21 loci were polymorphic in D. angustifolium, D. spinulosum, and D. holmgrenii, with up to seven alleles, and an observed heterozygosity up to 0.89.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The transcriptome-derived microsatellites generated here will serve as tools to advance population genetic studies and inform conservation strategies of Dioon, including the identification and origin of illegal plants in the cycad trade.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Science, McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prado
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad (Langebio), Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Cinvestav, Km 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carr. Irapuato-León, 36821 Irapuato, Mexico.
authors.forename: Fret
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cervantes-Díaz
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad (Langebio), Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Cinvestav, Km 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carr. Irapuato-León, 36821 Irapuato, Mexico.
authors.forename: Francisco G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Perez-Zavala
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Genética de Poblaciones, Red de Biología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, Xalapa 91070, Veracruz, Mexico.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: González-Astorga
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Science, McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Jacqueline C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Bede
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad (Langebio), Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Cinvestav, Km 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carr. Irapuato-León, 36821 Irapuato, Mexico.
authors.forename: Angélica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cibrián-Jaramillo
keywords: Dioon edule; Zamiaceae; cycads; microsatellites; transcriptome