title: Transcriptomic resources and marker validation for diploid and polyploidVeronica(Plantaginaceae) from New Zealand and Europe.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Polyploidy may generate novel variation, leading to adaptation and species diversification. An excellent natural system to study polyploid evolution in a comparative framework isVeronica(Plantaginaceae), which comprises several parallel, recently evolved polyploid series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over 105 million Illumina paired-end sequence reads were generated from cDNA libraries of leaf tissue from eight individuals representing three European and four New Zealand species. Forty-eight simple sequence repeat (SSR) and 48 low-copy nuclear (LCN) markers were developed and validated with Fluidigm microfluidic PCR and Illumina MiSeq amplicon sequencing on 48 different individuals each.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individual Trinity assemblies were similar regarding annotated transcripts (13,009-14,271), mean contig length (635-742 bp), N50 value (916-1133 bp), E90N50 value (1099-1308 bp), contigs with positive BLAST hits (42-63%), and gene ontology terms. Analyses of 29,738 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (8746 phylogenetically informative) mined from these transcriptomes plus two outgroups (Picrorhiza kurrooaandPlantago ovata) showed moderate to high bootstrap support for all branches and reticulation among sampled EuropeanVeronica.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The transcriptome sequences themselves, as well as the validated SSR (40/48) and LCN (11/48) markers derived from them, show inter- and intraspecific genetic variation. These resources will be invaluable for future population genetic, phylogenetic, and functional genetic investigations in polyploidVeronica.
authors: Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky Straße 9-11, Oldenburg 26111, Germany.
authors: Eike
authors: E
authors: Mayland-Quellhorst
authors: Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky Straße 9-11, Oldenburg 26111, Germany; Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Cable Street, P.O. Box 467, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.
authors: Heidi M
authors: HM
authors: Meudt
authors: Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky Straße 9-11, Oldenburg 26111, Germany.
authors: Dirk C
authors: DC
authors: Albach
keywords: Veronica; low-copy nuclear (LCN) markers; polyploidy; simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers; single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs); transcriptome