title: Development and characterization of microsatellite primers in the endangered Mediterranean shrubZiziphus lotus(Rhamnaceae).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Microsatellite primers were developed to characterize and evaluate patterns of genetic diversity and structure in the endangered Mediterranean shrubZiziphus lotus(Rhamnaceae).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty microsatellite primers were developed forZ. lotus, of which 14 were polymorphic. We evaluated microsatellite polymorphism in 97 specimens from 18 Spanish and seven Moroccan populations. Between two and eight alleles were found per locus, and the average number of alleles was 5.54. Observed heterozygosity and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.08 to 0.90 and from 0.08 to 0.82, respectively. Nine of these primers also amplified microsatellite loci inZ. jujuba.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The microsatellite markers described here will be useful in studies on genetic variation, population genetic structure, and gene flow in the fragmented habitat of this species. These markers are a valuable resource for designing appropriate conservation measures for the species in the Mediterranean range.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Animal, Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González-Robles
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Animal, Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Manzaneda
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Animal, Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain.
authors.forename: Jesús M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bastida
authors.affiliation: Genetic Marker Services, Brighton, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Animal, Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jaime
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Animal, Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Salido
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Animal, Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain.
authors.forename: Luisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Animal, Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernández-Ocaña
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Animal, Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain.
authors.forename: Julio M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Alcántara
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Animal, Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain.
authors.forename: Pedro J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Rey
keywords: Rhamnaceae; Ziziphus lotus; habitat fragmentation; keystone species; microsatellites; southeastern Spain