Isolation of Novel Microsatellite Loci for Handeliodendron bodinieri ( Sapindaceae ) , An Endangered Tree Endemic to Karst Forest in Southwestern China

Abstract:

Ten novel polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed and characterized for Handeliodendron bodinieri according to a modified genomic DNA enrichment protocol of FIASCO (Fast isolation by AFLP of sequences containing repeat). These SSR (simple sequence repeat) loci were used to examine genetic diversity of H. bodinieri in Maolan karst forests, Guizhou Province. The results showed that each locus displayed between 3 and 5 alleles. The observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.267 to 0.900 and expected heterozygosity varied between 0.224 and 0.652. The combined probabilities of paternity exclusion over all loci were 0.7496 for P_r(Ex₁) and 0.9517 for P_r(Ex₂), respectively. It suggested that these loci could provide a powerful tool in investigating the patterns of gene flow and population structure in natural populations of H. bodinieri.