ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF 20 MICROSATELLITE LOCI FOR LAUREL SPECIES (LAURUS, LAURACEAE)

Premise of the study: Microsatellite primers were developed for the evergreen tree Laurus to investigate population genetic structure and patterns of gene flow via animal-dispersed pollen and seeds. Methods and Results: Twenty polymorphic nuclear microsatellite markers were developed using CA, GA, AAC, and ATG n-enriched genomic libraries. Given the tetraploidy of the sampled populations, we analyzed our data both as dominant loci and as codominant genotypic data to calculate allele frequencies and genetic diversity. A total of 196 and 222 alleles were found in 37 Mediterranean (L. nobilis) and 26 Macaronesian islands (L. azorica) individuals, respectively. Conclusions: Levels of polymorphism of the reported markers are adequate for studies of diversity and parentage in natural populations of this Tertiary relict tree.