Isolation and characterization of 22 EST-SSR markers for the genus Thujopsis (Cupressaceae).

Abstract

• Premise of the study: Expressed sequence tag–simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) markers were developed from Thujopsis dolabrata var. hondae (Cupressaceae) using Illumina sequencing to investigate the genetic diversity and population structure of the genus Thujopsis.• Methods and Results: Twenty-two primer pairs were developed from ESTs of T. dolabrata var. hondae. The primers amplified di- and trinucleotide repeat-containing sequences. Polymorphisms were assessed in 81 individuals from two T. dolabrata var. hondae populations and one T. dolabrata population. The number of alleles ranged from one to 17 per locus. The observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.000 to 1.000 and from 0.000 to 0.926, respectively.• Conclusions: These new EST-SSR markers will be useful in analyses of the genetic diversity and population structure of the genus Thujopsis.