Bovine microsatellite loci are highly conserved in red deer (Cervus elaphus), sika deer (Cervus nippon) and Soay sheep (Ovis aries)

Abstract

We tested 174 bovine microsatellite primer pairs for use in a primitive breed of sheep and two species of deer. Of 173 markers, 127 (73.4%) gave a product in Soay sheep (Ovis aries) of which 54 (42.5%) were polymorphic. One hundred and twenty-nine of 174 (74.1%) markers gave a product in red deer (Cervus elaphus) of which 72 (55.8%) were polymorphic. In sika deer (Cervus nippon) 126 of 171 (73.7%) microsatellite primers gave a product with 47 (37.3%) polymorphic. The proportion of bovine microsatellite loci conserved across artiodactyl species was significantly greater in this study than previously reported. Reasons for this high degree of microsatellite conservation are discussed. We suggest that a high resolution comparative map of the artiodactyls can be constructed using microsatellites.

Comparison of GTG-banded karyotypes and microsatellite sequences in some species of the <i>Bovidae</i> and <i>Cervidae</i> families

“…In our study about 60% of micro- satellite loci were successfully amplifi ed with the use of bovine primers in sheep and red deer species, being comparable to such a study in sheep performed by de Gortari et al (1997) and much higher than the results obtained in red deer by Kuhn et al (1996) (around 50% loci typed). Slate et al (1998) obtained a substantially higher yield of microsatellite amplifi cation in sheep and two deer species (above 70%) after extensive optimization of PCR conditions with the use of bovine primers for both species. In case of goat, our amplifi cation reached 50% of bovine microsatellite loci and was lower than in the study of Pepin et al (1995) (60% of loci typed).…”

“…A large number of papers also reported conservation on the DNA level between different mammalian species, based on anonymous DNA markers such as microsatellite loci (Moor et al, 1991;de Gortari et al, 1997;Slate et al, 1998). Microsatellite markers have been effi ciently used in genome mapping projects, pedigree determination, and population genetics in humans and animals.…”

Remote collection of animal DNA and its applications in conservation management and understanding the population biology of rare and cryptic species

“…Although development of microsatellite primers is time-consuming they can be used in other closelyrelated species (usually within the same family) so that the process does not have to be repeated for every species (e.g. Coote and Bruford 1996;Engel et al 1996;Primmer et al 1996;Slate et al 1998;Zhang et al 2001;Zenger et al 2002). Importantly, because any given set of microsatellite PCR primers typically only amplify DNA from closely related species, contaminating DNA (either from bacteria or dietary components in the case of faeces) is unlikely to interfere with interpretation.…”

Cross-amplification of nonspecific microsatellites markers: a useful tool to study endangered/vulnerable species of southern Andes deer

“…This study aimed to test a panel of microsatellites that were isolated in deer, sika deer, reindeer, Soay sheep, and other artiodactyls (Slate et al, 1998;Wilson and Strobeck, 1999;Cronin et al, 2006) in pudu and huemul and to compare nonspecific microsatellite loci against huemul-specific loci. This was performed in order to identify loci that i) successfully amplify, ii) are polymorphic in both species, and iii) generate short amplification products (<350 bp), facilitating their use in DNA that is obtained from feces and hairs.…”