Development Of Microsatellite Markers To Investigate Recurrent Polyploidy Within The Genus Dicentra

The genus Dicentra (Bernhardi 1833) is a small group of herbaceous plants containing approximately 12 species found in North America and eastern Asia. Three species: D. eximia, D. cucullaria, and D. canadensis, display an interesting polyploid series in the Southern Appalachians, where D. eximia is a diploid (2n=16), D. cucullaria is a tetraploid (2n=32) and D. canadensis is an octoploid (2n=64). To investigate recurrent polyploidy within the genus, a set of microsatellite markers are needed to assess whether populations are more closely related by ploidy level or geographic location. Many sequences generated from D. cucullaria were searched for microsatellite motifs. Fifty primer pairs were identified flanking various microsatellite motifs. These primer pairs were first tested on a small number of individuals including all three species to assess their ability to amplify a single locus. Those that successfully amplified across these samples were fluorescently labeled and submitted for genotyping, where allele size can be observed. Chromatograms were assessed for ease of scorability and allelic diversity. The markers verified in this study will be useful for investigating diversity and allow us to test the hypothesis of recurrent polyploidy.