Regional Genetic Structure in the Aquatic Macrophyte Ruppia cirrhosa Suggests Dispersal by Waterbirds

The evolutionary history of the genus Ruppia has been shaped by hybridization, polyploidisation and vicariance that have resulted in a problematic taxonomy. Recent studies provided insight into species circumscription, organelle takeover by hybridization, and revealed the importance of verifying species identification to avoid distorting effects of mixing different species, when estimating population connectivity. In the present study, we use microsatellite markers to determine population diversity and connectivity patterns in Ruppia cirrhosa including two spatial scales: (1) from the Atlantic Iberian coastline in Portugal to the Siculo-Tunisian Strait in Sicily and (2) within the Iberian Peninsula comprising the Atlantic-Mediterranean transition. The higher diversity in the Mediterranean Sea suggests that populations have had longer persistence there, suggesting a possible origin and/or refugial area for the species. The high genotypic diversities highlight the importance of sexual reproduction for survival and maintenance of populations. Results revealed a regional population structure matching a continent-island model, with strong genetic isolation and low gene flow between populations. This population structure could be maintained by waterbirds, acting as occasional dispersal vectors. This information elucidates ecological strategies of brackish plant species in coastal lagoons, suggesting mechanisms used by this species to colonize new isolated habitats and dominate brackish aquatic macrophyte systems, yet maintaining strong genetic structure suggestive of very low dispersal.Fundacao para a Cincia e Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) [PTDC/MAR/119363/2010, BIODIVERSA/0004/2015, UID/Multi/04326/2013]Pew FoundationSENECA FoundationMurcia Government, Spain [11881/PI/09]FCT Investigator Programme-Career Development [IF/00998/2014]Spanish Ministry of Education [AP2008-01209]European Community [00399/2012]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in the black pepper, Piper nigrum L. (piperaceae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)The black pepper, Piper nigrum L., which originated in India, is the World's most important commercial spice. Brazil has a germplasm collection of this species preserved at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa-Eastern Amazonia) where efforts are being made to generation information on the patterns of genetic variation and develop strategies for conservation and management of black pepper. Molecular markers of the SSR type are powerful tools for the description of material preserved in genetic resources banks, due to characteristics such as high levels of polymorphism, codominance and Mendelian segregation. Given this, we developed nine microsatellite markers from an enriched library of Piper nigrum L. Twenty varieties clonal from the Brazilian germplasm collection were analyzed, and observed and expected heterozygosity values ranged over 0.11-1.00 and 0.47-0.87, respectively. The nine microsatellite loci characterized here will contribute to studies of genetic diversity and conservation of Piper nigrum L.11209212Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NINE MICROSATELLITE LOCI FOR SISYRINCHIUM MICRANTHUM (IRIDACEAE)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Premise of the study: Sisyrinchium micranthum is an herb with wide distribution and morphological variation, presenting three known cytotypes (2x, 4x, and 6x), which is naturally occurring from Mexico to Argentina. The development of microsatellite markers for this species is important to provide molecular tools to investigate polyploidy origin, as well as its relationship with phenotypic and genetic variability. Methods and Results: Nine microsatellite markers were isolated using an enriched genomic library and characterized in a diploid population. Eight markers generated polymorphic loci in 27 plants of a population from southern Brazil. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to nine, and the observed and expected heterozygosities varied from 0.192 to 0.741 and from 0.370 to 0.884, respectively. Conclusions: These species-specific DNA markers may be useful for further investigations of the involved polyploidization process and the population genetics of S. micranthum.9910E402E404Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Comite Francais d'Evaluation de la Cooperation Universitaire avec le Bresil (COFECUB) [550/07]Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Genetica e Biologia Molecular (PPGBM)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)CNPq [477533/2009-4, 141900/2008-3]CAPES [550/07]Comite Francais d'Evaluation de la Cooperation Universitaire avec le Bresil (COFECUB) [550/07]FAPESP [2006/61242-8

Isolation and characterization of tri and tetranucleotide microsatellite markers for the tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum, Serrasalmidae, Characiformes)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)We isolated 13 tri and tetranucleotide microsatellite markers for the species Colossoma macropomum that can be used in management programmes for this species of Amazon fish. This panel of microsatellite markers was used in the genotyping of 20 individual specimens collected in the lakes of Obidos city, in the Brazilian Amazon. The number of alleles per locus varied from four to ten. The observed heterozygosity varied from 0.31 to 0.95. We observed no significant deviation from the expected Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium assumption. In the sample investigated, it was not possible to identify any significant linkage disequilibrium among the 78 possible loci pairs. In our analysis, we found no indication of genotyping error attributed to stutter bands, large allele dropout or null alleles.313336Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (FINEP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

New 24 polymorphic DNA microsatellite loci for the major malaria vector Anopheles darlingi and transpecies amplification with another anophelines

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Anopheles darlingi is a major human malaria vector in the Neotropics. Twenty-four polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized in 21-32 individuals collected in Coari (Amazonas, Brazil). The number of alleles per locus ranged from 4 to 11 (average of 7.667). The observed heterozygosity (H(O)) varied between 0.037 and 0.833 (average of 0.500), while the expected heterozygosity (H(E)) ranged from 0.177 to 0.871 (average of 0.723). Thirteen loci showed a significant deviation from HWE. No linkage disequilibrium was found between the loci.21205209FAPEAM/PIPTConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)PosGrad/FAPEAMConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)CAPES [023/2006

GENETIC STRUCTURE AND PHENOTYPIC VARIATION IN WILD POPULATIONS OF THE MEDICINAL TETRAPLOID SPECIES BROMELIA ANTIACANTHA (BROMELIACEAE)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Premise of the study : The patterns of genetic structure in plant populations are mainly related to the species life history and breeding system, and knowledge of these patterns is necessary for the management, use, and conservation of biological diversity. Polyploidy is considered an important mode of evolution in plants, but few studies have evaluated genetic structure of polyploid populations. We studied the patterns of genetic structure and morphological variation of Bromelia antiacantha (Bromeliaceae) populations, a polyploid terrestrial species. Methods : Microsatellite markers and morphological analyses were used to explore patterns of genetic and morphological diversity in wild populations of B. antiacantha. Key results : The results of our simple-sequence repeat analyses supported that B. antiacantha is a polyploid species. The inbreeding coefficients were high and significant in all populations (F(IS) = 0.431), indicating homozygote excess. Bromelia antiacantha showed high levels of genetic differentiation among populations (F(ST) = 0.224) and therefore was highly structured. High morphological variation was observed in fruit phenotypic traits in the populations studied. Conclusions : The levels of genetic diversity and the pattern of the population's structure may be related to the low recruitment of seeds, clonal reproduction, and the population's colonization history. The genetic and morphological variability displayed in this study are important issues in planning the conservation and exploitation of this resource in a sustainable way.98915111519Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)PPGBM (Programa de Pos Graduacao em Genetica e Biologia Molecular-UFRGS)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in Paspalum notatum Flugg, (Poaceae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Paspalum notatum is a forage grass recognized as one of the major constituents of the native grasslands in the New World. The knowledge of the genetic diversity and structure of P. notatum populations is fundamental for the conservation and germplasm management of this species. About 11 microsatellite markers were isolated from P. notatum and characterized in 25 accessions. The average number of alleles per locus was 7.9 and the PIC ranged from 0.36 to 0.89. The data demonstrated that the most of markers are suitable to detect polymorphism and to study the genetic diversity in the P. notatum species. Moreover, the transferability of these microsatellite were tested on other three congeneric species.10619771980Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in Pitcairnia albiflos (Bromeliaceae), an endemic bromeliad from the Atlantic Rainforest, and cross-amplification in other species

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Eight microsatellite markers were isolated from Pitcairnia albiflos, an endangered endemic bromeliad species restricted to 'inselberg' rock outcrops in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The number of alleles observed for each locus ranged from two to 12. Average observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.408 and 0.663, respectively. The cross-amplification test in 16 taxa suggests that the markers will be useful in numerous related bromeliad species. The loci will be used to study genetic structure and reproductive biology in fragmented inselberg populations and the origin and maintenance of barriers to gene flow between sympatric Pitcairnia species.85980982Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Andrew W. Mellon FoundationConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

MICROSATELLITE LOCI FOR PASPALUM ATRATUM (POACEAE) AND CROSS-AMPLIFICATION IN OTHER SPECIES

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Premise of the study: Paspalum atratum is a perennial, cespitose, tropical grass native to Central and South America. This species belongs to a polyploid complex (Plicatula group) little known at the genetic level. The characterized microsatellite markers provide new informative tools for further studies of the hybridization, mating systems, and structure of the population. Methods and Results: Using the microsatellite-enriched library method, we isolated and characterized 19 microsatellite markers from P. atratum. Eleven of them were polymorphic, showing a variable degree of variation, while eight were monomorphic in the samples analyzed. Additionally, the transferability of these microsatellite markers was tested in other species. Conclusions: These results suggest that the characterized markers have enough discriminatory potential to be used in genetic characterizations of Paspalum taxa, which are based on an understanding of their mating systems and genetic structure, as well as in understanding the evolutionary processes involved in the evolution of groups of Paspalum.9711E107E110Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)[2006/61242-8]Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)FAPESP [05/51010][2006/61242-8