Abstract
Cross-species transferability and expressed sequence tags (ESTs) in public databases are cost-effective means for developing simple sequence repeats (SSRs) for less-studied species like medicinal plants. In this study, 11 EST–SSR markers developed from 742 available ESTs of Withania Somnifera EST sequences and 95 SSR primer pairs derived from other solanaceous crops (tomato, eggplant, chili, and tobacco) were utilized for their amplification and validation. Out of 11, 10 EST–SSRs showed good amplification quality and produced 13 loci with a product size ranging between 167 and 291 bp. Similarly, of the 95 cross-genera SSR loci assayed, 20 (21 %) markers showed the transferability of 5, 27, 32, and 14.2 % from eggplant, chili, tomato, and tobacco, respectively, to ashwagandha. In toto, these 30 SSR markers reported here will be valuable resources and may be applicable for the analysis of intra- and inter-specific genetic diversity in ashwagandha for which till date no information about SSR is available.
Highlights
Out of a large number of medicinal plants known in Indian medicine system, Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal or Indian Ginseng or ashwagandha is a valued medicinal plant with pharmaceutical and nutraceutical uses
11 expressed sequence tags (ESTs)–simple sequence repeats (SSRs) markers developed from 742 available ESTs of Withania Somnifera EST sequences and 95 SSR primer pairs derived from other solanaceous crops were utilized for their amplification and validation
The variable degree of transferability of SSR markers can be attributed to sequence conservation, and the results of the present work support the perception that the members of Solanaceae are genetically similar and there is a possibility of cross-amplification at genetic loci between different species
Summary
Out of a large number of medicinal plants known in Indian medicine system, Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal or Indian Ginseng or ashwagandha is a valued medicinal plant with pharmaceutical and nutraceutical uses. Abstract Cross-species transferability and expressed sequence tags (ESTs) in public databases are cost-effective means for developing simple sequence repeats (SSRs) for less-studied species like medicinal plants. 11 EST–SSR markers developed from 742 available ESTs of Withania Somnifera EST sequences and 95 SSR primer pairs derived from other solanaceous crops (tomato, eggplant, chili, and tobacco) were utilized for their amplification and validation.
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