AUTHOR=Shinzato Chuya , Yasuoka Yuki , Mungpakdee Sutada , Arakaki Nana , Fujie Manabu , Nakajima Yuichi , Satoh Nori 

TITLE=Development of novel, cross-species microsatellite markers for Acropora corals using next-generation sequencing technology

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Marine Science

VOLUME=Volume 1 - 2014

YEAR=2014

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2014.00011

DOI=10.3389/fmars.2014.00011

ISSN=2296-7745

ABSTRACT=<p>The genus <italic>Acropora</italic> (Scleractinia, Acroporidae) is one of the most widespread coral genera, comprising the largest number of extant species among scleractinian (reef-building) corals. Molecular phylogenetic studies have suggested that <italic>A. tenuis</italic> belongs to the most basal clade (clade I) while <italic>A. digitifera</italic> belongs to a derived clade (clade IV). In order to develop microsatellite markers that would be useful for most <italic>Acropora</italic> species, we sequenced the genomic DNA of <italic>A. tenuis</italic>, using a next generation sequencer (Illumina MiSeq), and designed primer sets that amplify microsatellite loci. Afterward we selected primer pairs with perfectly matched nucleotide sequences from which at least one primer was uniquely mapped to the <italic>A. digitifera</italic> genome. Fourteen microsatellite markers showed non-significant departure from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) in both <italic>A. tenuis</italic> and <italic>A. digitifera</italic>. Thus these markers could be used for wide range of species and may provide powerful tools for population genetics studies and conservation of <italic>Acropora</italic> corals.</p>