Premise of the study: Microsatellite markers were developed for the wind cave-associated shrub Lonicera alpigena subsp. glehnii to conduct phylogeographic studies on the species.
Methods and results: Based on the sequence data obtained by 454 sequencing, a total of 81 primer pairs were designed and 18 successfully amplified the microsatellite regions. These markers were highly variable (i.e., average number of alleles per locus = 6.2 [range = 2-15]; average expected heterozygosity per locus = 0.489 [range = 0.149-0.729]). Cross-species amplification of the primers was tested in 10 congeneric taxa (L. caerulea var. emphyllocalyx, L. chamissoi, L. chrysantha, L. gracilipes var. glandulosa, L. japonica, L. kurobushiensis, L. morrowii, L. ramosissima, L. sachalinensis, and L. strophiophora), and six to 11 primers amplified the microsatellite markers.
Conclusions: The microsatellite markers developed in this study will be useful for phylogeographic studies and conservation genetics of L. alpigena subsp. glehnii as well as congeneric species.
Keywords: Caprifoliaceae; Lonicera alpigena subsp. glehnii; phylogeography; threatened species; wind cave–associated shrub.