Microsatellite Loci in the Gypsophyte <em>Lepidium subulatum </em>(Brassicaceae), and Transferability to Other <em>Lepidieae</em>

Abstract

Polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed for the Ibero-North African, strict gypsophyte <em>Lepidium subulatum</em> to unravel the effects of habitat fragmentation in levels of genetic diversity, genetic structure and gene flow among its populations. Using 454 pyrosequencing 12 microsatellite loci including di- and tri-nucleotide repeats were characterized in <em>L. subulatum</em>. They amplified a total of 80 alleles (2–12 alleles per locus) in a sample of 35 individuals of <em>L. subulatum</em>, showing relatively high levels of genetic diversity, <em>H</em>_O = 0.645, <em>H</em>_E = 0.627. Cross-species transferability of all 12 loci was successful for the Iberian endemics <em>Lepidium cardamines</em>, <em>Lepidium stylatum</em>, and the widespread, <em>Lepidium graminifolium</em> and one species each of two related genera, <em>Cardaria draba</em> and <em>Coronopus didymus</em>. These microsatellite primers will be useful to investigate genetic diversity, population structure and to address conservation genetics in species of <em>Lepidium</em>.

Keywords

• Brassicaceae
• conservation genetics
• genetic diversity
• gypsophile
• next-generation sequencing
• SSR