Development and characterization of 29 polymorphic EST-SSR markers for Stipa purpurea (Poaceae).

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) markers were developed using Illumina sequencing for further genetic diversity studies of Stipa purpurea (Poaceae).

METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty-nine polymorphic and eight monomorphic EST-SSR loci were developed and characterized in 90 individuals from nine S. purpurea populations. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to 13, and heterozygosity within populations and total heterozygosity ranged from 0.04-0.76 and from 0.04-0.87, respectively. Of 37 loci, 12 showed interspecific transferability and polymorphism in a related species, S. glareosa.

CONCLUSIONS: These newly developed EST-SSR primers provide a useful tool to investigate genetic diversity at the population level and to analyze the population structure of S. purpurea.