Development of microsatellite markers based on expressed sequence tags in Asparagus cochinchinensis (Asparagaceae)1

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Transcriptome-derived simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were developed in Asparagus cochinchinensis (Asparagaceae). Due to its application in traditional medicine, its wild populations are threatened by over-collection even in protected areas, requiring immediate conservation efforts. METHODS AND RESULTS Based on transcriptome data of A. cochinchinensis, 96 primer pairs with two to seven alleles per locus were selected for initial validation; of those, 27 primer pairs amplified across all samples, resulting in 15 polymorphic and 12 monomorphic microsatellite markers. The usefulness of these markers was assessed in 60 individuals representing three populations of A. cochinchinensis. Observed and expected heterozygosity values ranged from 0.050 to 0.950 and 0.049 to 0.626, respectively. Cross-species amplification of the 27 markers was tested in the related species A. rigidulus and A. schoberioides. CONCLUSIONS These polymorphic, transcriptome-derived SSR markers can be used as molecular markers to study population genetics and ecological conservation in A. cochinchinensis and related taxa.