Development of microsatellite markers in Pterodon pubescens and transferability to Pterodon emarginatus, two Brazilian plant species with medicinal potential

Abstract

Pterodon pubescens and P. emarginatus (Leguminosae) are native medicinal plants of Brazil. Extractivism due to its therapeutic properties threatens populations of both species. Studies of genetic diversity is a way to reason the use and promote conservation. We developed microsatellite markers for P. pubescens and transferred them to P. emarginatus to further genetic diversity investigation of these species. From genomic sequences of P. pubescens, obtained via the Illumina MiSeq platform, it was possible to identify 6,514 microsatellite regions, to design 5,419 primer pairs, and to test 30 markers amplification. We provide 26 polymorphic microsatellite markers, 10 of which were genotyped in 48 individuals per species. The number of alleles per locus range from 3 to 16, with high average genetic diversity ( P. pubescens HE = 0.753; P. emarginatus HE = 0.691). The genotyped markers have a high paternity exclusion probability (Q values greater than 0.99) and low probability of identity, indicating that set of loci is capable of individual discriminating in P. pubescens and P. emarginatus. Microsatellite markers provided in this study are a tool for population genetics studies and conservation of the two species and can be applied to closely related non-model species.