Development of 32 novel microsatellite loci in Juglans sigillata (Juglandaceae) using genomic data

Premise of the Study: A novel set of microsatellite primers was developed for Juglans sigillata, an endemic walnut species in southwestern China, to facilitate cultivar identification and future investigations into the genetic structure and domestication history of this species and its close relatives.
Methods and Results: We developed 32 microsatellite loci for J. sigillata using genomic data, and used them to examine 60 individuals from three natural populations. The results revealed a high level of polymorphism detected by these primers, with up to eight alleles being observed per locus (average four). The observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.000-1.00 and 0.000-0.785, respectively. All but two of the loci were also successfully amplified in three closely related Eurasian Juglans species, i.e. J. regia, J. cathayensis and J. mandshurica.
Conclusions: The microsatellite loci identified here provide a powerful resource for examining the genetic structure and domestication history of Juglans, as well as identification of its cultivars.