Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers for an endemic tree in East Asia, Quercus variabilis (Fagaceae)(1)

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Microsatellite markers of Quercus variabilis (Fagaceae) were isolated for population genetic and landscape genetic studies. METHODS AND RESULTS: Roche 454 pyrosequencing combined with the magnetic bead enrichment protocol were used to isolate microsatellite markers for Q. variabilis. A total of 2121 microsatellites were identified from 63,851 individual sequence reads. One hundred microsatellite loci were selected to test primer amplification efficiency among 24 individuals from two wild populations. Among the 100 tested markers, 34 primer pairs were successfully amplified. Of these, 14 yielded polymorphic amplification products, whereas the remaining 20 loci were monomorphic. The number of alleles for polymorphic loci ranged from two to six, and the observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.042 to 0.750. CONCLUSIONS: These microsatellite loci will provide useful tools for further population genetic and landscape genetic studies on Q. variabilis.