Genetic Diversity Study on Geographical Populations of the Multipurpose Species Elsholtzia stauntonii Using Transferable Microsatellite Markers

Chenxing Zhang; Chunfeng Jia; Xinru Liu; Hanqing Zhao; Lu Hou; Meng Li; Binbin Cui; Yingyue Li

doi:10.3389/fpls.2022.903674

Genetic Diversity Study on Geographical Populations of the Multipurpose Species Elsholtzia stauntonii Using Transferable Microsatellite Markers

Front Plant Sci. 2022 May 12:13:903674. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.903674. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Chenxing Zhang^{1

2

3}, Chunfeng Jia⁴, Xinru Liu^{1

2

3}, Hanqing Zhao^{1

2

3}, Lu Hou^{1

2

3}, Meng Li^{1

2

3}, Binbin Cui⁴, Yingyue Li^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ National Engineering Research Center of Tree Breeding and Ecological Restoration, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
² Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding in Forest Trees and Ornamental Plants, Ministry of Education, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
³ The Tree and Ornamental Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
⁴ College of Biochemistry and Environmental Engineering, Baoding University, Baoding, China.

Abstract

Elsholtzia stauntonii Benth. (Lamiaceae) is an economically important ornamental, medicinal and aromatic plant species. To meet the increasing market demand for E. stauntonii, it is necessary to assess genetic diversity within the species to accelerate the process of genetic improvement. Analysis of the transferability of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers from related species or genera is a fast and economical method to evaluate diversity, and can ensure the availability of molecular markers in crops with limited genomic resources. In this study, the cross-genera transferability of 497 SSR markers selected from other members of the Lamiaceae (Salvia L., Perilla L., Mentha L., Hyptis Jacq., Leonurus L., Pogostemon Desf., Rosmarinus L., and Scutella L.) to E. stauntonii was 9.05% (45 primers). Among the 45 transferable markers, 10 markers revealed relatively high polymorphism in E. stauntonii. The genetic variation among 825 individuals from 18 natural populations of E. stauntonii in Hebei Province of China was analyzed using the 10 polymorphic SSR markers. On the basis of the SSR data, the average number of alleles (N _A), expected heterozygosity (H _E), and Shannon's information index (I) of the 10 primers pairs were 7.000, 0.478, and 0.688, respectively. Lower gene flow (N _m = 1.252) and high genetic differentiation (F _st = 0.181) were detected in the populations. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that most of the variation (81.47%) was within the populations. Integrating the results of STRUCTURE, UPGMA (Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean) clustering, and principal coordinate analysis, the 825 samples were grouped into two clusters associated with geographical provenance (southwestern and northeastern regions), which was consistent with the results of a Mantel test (r = 0.56, p < 0.001). Overall, SSR markers developed in related genera were effective to study the genetic structure and genetic diversity in geographical populations of E. stauntonii. The results provide a theoretical basis for conservation of genetic resources, genetic improvement, and construction of a core collection for E. stauntonii.

Keywords: Elsholtzia stauntonii Benth.; cross-transferability; genetic diversity; population structure; simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers.