title: Development and characterization of microsatellite primers in the federally endangered Astragalus bibullatus (Fabaceae).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Microsatellites were developed for Astragalus bibullatus (Fabaceae), a federally endangered narrow endemic, to investigate reproductive ecology and species boundaries among closely related taxa.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Next-generation sequencing was used to develop 12 nuclear microsatellite loci that amplify in A. bibullatus, as well as in A. crassicarpus var. trichocalyx, A. gypsodes, and A. tennesseensis. Identified loci were di- and trinucleotide repeats, with 1-15 alleles per locus. Observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.000-0.938 and 0.000-0.860, respectively. Cross-amplification of three loci previously published in A. michauxii was also confirmed for the taxa included here.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data indicate the utility of novel microsatellite loci for conservation genetics and reproductive ecology in closely related Astragalus species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, 1301 E. Main Street, Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132 USA.
authors.forename: Ashley B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, 1301 E. Main Street, Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132 USA.
authors.forename: Cassandra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scalf
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, 1301 E. Main Street, Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132 USA.
authors.forename: Austin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burleyson
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, 1301 E. Main Street, Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132 USA.
authors.forename: La Tonya
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, 1301 E. Main Street, Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132 USA.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Trostel
keywords: Astragalus bibullatus; Astragalus sect. Sarcocarpi; Fabaceae; cedar glades; conservation genetics