Abstract
The western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), is an invasive species and the most economically important pest within the insect order Thysanoptera. For a better understanding of the genetic makeup and migration patterns of F. occidentalis throughout the world, we characterized 18 novel polymorphic EST-derived microsatellites. The mutational mechanism of these EST-SSRs was also investigated to facilitate the selection of appropriate combinations of markers for population genetic studies. Genetic diversity of these novel markers was assessed in 96 individuals from three populations in China (Harbin, Dali, and Guiyang). The results showed that all these 18 loci were highly polymorphic; the number of alleles ranged from 2 to 15, with an average of 5.50 alleles per locus. The observed (HO) and expected (HE) heterozygosities ranged from 0.072 to 0.707 and 0.089 to 0.851, respectively. Furthermore, only two locus/population combinations (WFT144 in Dali and WFT50 in Guiyang) significantly deviated from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). Pairwise FST analysis showed a low but significant differentiation (0.026 < FST < 0.032) among all three pairwise population comparisons. Sequence analysis of alleles per locus revealed a complex mutational pattern of these EST-SSRs. Thus, these EST-SSRs are useful markers but greater attention should be paid to the mutational characteristics of these microsatellites when they are used in population genetic studies.
Highlights
IntroductionThe western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), is the most economically important pest within the insect order Thysanoptera, which includes more than 5500 described species [1]
The western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), is the most economically important pest within the insect order Thysanoptera, which includes more than 5500 described species [1].F. occidentalis causes enormous damage by directly feeding on greenhouse vegetable and ornamental crops and by transmitting plant-pathogenic tospoviruses [2]
These EST-SSRs are useful markers but greater attention should be paid to the mutational characteristics of these microsatellites when they are used in population genetic studies
Summary
The western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), is the most economically important pest within the insect order Thysanoptera, which includes more than 5500 described species [1]. In order to control F. occidentalis, it is first necessary to know its genetic diversity, population structure and invasion history. Genetic tools, such as microsatellites markers, can reveal the origin of newly established populations, their genetic makeup and their routes of migration [5,6]. Knowledge of the mutational pattern of one specific SSR could facilitate the selection of appropriate mutation model and combinations of markers in the population genetic studies. Due to their codominant inheritance, highly polymorphic, easy detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and broad distribution in the genome, microsatellites/SSRs are widely used for population genetic studies [11]. These EST-SSRs will allow researchers to investigate the genetic diversity and population genetic structure of F. occidentalis in its native and invasive range and trace its global invasion history
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