Drosophila mediopunctata microsatellites II: cross-species amplification in the tripunctata group and other Drosophila species

Abstract

Heterologous amplification of 134 recently developed Drosophila mediopunctata microsatellites is here reported. Cross-species amplification was analyzed in 30 species of the Drosophila and Sophophora subgenera, and emphasis was given to the tripunctata group. The overall microsatellite transfer rate was 48%. The highest cross-species amplifications were observed in D. unipunctata (n = 94) and D. roehrae (n = 82). The phylogenetic proximity to D. mediopunctata did not correspond to greater numbers of successfully amplified microsatellites. Of the 134 microsatellite loci, 21 failed to amplify in all species and 18 were detected in all of them. A UPGMA dendrogram, based on Jaccard's similarities in the tripunctata group, recovered few expected phylogenetic relationships. The data demonstrated that many D. mediopunctata microsatellites are now available as potentially useful markers for genetic investigation and conservation of other Drosophila species.