Nuclear, chloroplast, and mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms as biochemical markers in population genetic analyses of forest trees

Abstract

Application. Study of DNA polymorphisms in forest trees has provided new insights into basic biology. Chloroplast, mitochondrial, and nuclear DNA polymorphisms are expected to play increasingly important roles for forest population geneticists, and further investigation of these polymorphisms may lead to applications in germplasm improvement and conservation programs.Abstract. DNA analyses have been used only occasionally to investigate genetic polymorphisms in forest tree populations. Nonetheless, these analyses have already contributed to significant discoveries, such as paternal chloroplast and maternal mitochondrial DNA inheritance in Pinaceae. DNA polymorphisms will be increasingly exploited in the future by forest population geneticists, because available technology permits large sample sizes and yields excellent resolution. The utility of chloroplast, mitochondrial, and nuclear DNA polymorphisms is expected to be greatest when less expensive genetic markers are unavailable, insufficiently numerous, or ineffectively polymorphic. For example, DNA fingerprinting may permit the unambiguous elucidation of genetic relationships within and among populations of woody species.

Spatial Pattern of the Mitochondrial and Chloroplast Genetic Variation in Poland as a Result of the Migration of Abies alba Mill. from Different Glacial Refugia

“…In this study, more detailed and comprehensive information was provided for the distribution of the postglacial lineage of Abies alba in the entire territory of Poland. The results were compared with previously inferred postglacial histories of A. alba (e.g., [16,17,19,22,35]) and analyzed in relation to predictions regarding the direction and intensity of introgression using markers experiencing different rates of gene flow [10].…”

“…In Pinaceae, the organelle genomes, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and chloroplast DNA (cpDNA), are inherited maternally and paternally respectively [10], and they possess different rates of point mutations [11]. Hence, because of the contrasting modes of inheritance, gene exchange transmitted via seeds only (mtDNA) or via pollen and subsequently fertilized seeds (cpDNA) can be tracked.…”

“…Molecular markers are extremely useful tools to assess the genetic resources of forest trees by improving our understanding of the distribution of genetic diversity within and among populations and of the structure of the populations in the Northern Hemisphere after the last glacial maximum (LGM) [9]. In Pinaceae, the organelle genomes, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and chloroplast DNA (cpDNA), are inherited maternally and paternally respectively [10], and they possess different rates of point mutations [11]. Hence, because of the contrasting modes of inheritance, gene exchange transmitted via seeds only (mtDNA) or via pollen and subsequently fertilized seeds (cpDNA) can be tracked.…”

Gene flow among different taxonomic units: evidence from nuclear and cytoplasmic markers in Cedrus plantation forests

“…Otherwise, all genotypes of controlled-crosses #9 and #11 identified as hybrids using RAPDs and AFLPs carried a paternal cpSSR haplotype. These results indicate that the chloroplast genome is paternally inherited in the genus Cedrus, as in other members of the Pinaceae (Wagner 1992).…”

Use of DNA markers in forest tree improvement research

“…In this paper, we will describe some of the new DNA-based genetic markers and attempt to show where they might best be applied in forest tree improvement. The application of DNA markers in forest genetics research in general has been discussed in several recent papers (Cheliak and Rogers 1990;Friedman and Neale 1992;Gianfranceschi et al 1991;Nance and Nelson 1989;Neale et al 1989;Neale and Williams 1991;Wagner 1992).…”