Variable microsatellite loci isolated from the Asian honeybee, Apis cerana (Hymenoptera; Apidae)

Abstract

We developed 12 polymorphic microsatellite loci for the Asian honeybee, Apis cerana using the magnetic particle method. Eight of these 12 were highly polymorphic, having four to seven alleles with an expected heterozygosity of 0.38 to 0.78. The primers also produce polymorphic products in related honeybee species such as Apis nigrocincta. These loci can be used to study parameters associated with genetic structure, such as paternity frequency and worker reproduction.

Population structure of Apis cerana in Thailand reflects biogeography and current gene flow rather than Varroa mite association

“…Loci were genotyped with primer pairs that were designed for A. mellifera (Solignac et al, 2007) and with some that were specifically designed for A. cerana (Takahashi et al, 2009). While the success rate of amplification was higher in the specific A. cerana primers, no significant differences existed between these two groups with regard to allele number, observed and expected heterozygosity, or the ratio of observed to expected heterozygosity.…”

“…Twelve microsatellite loci published for A. cerana (Takahashi et al, 2009) and 80 existing (Solignac et al,2007) or newly identified loci from the A. mellifera genome were screened in a subsample of eight individuals. Based on these screens, 18 primer combinations were selected that reliably amplified one specific, polymorphic microsatellite locus each (Table 1).…”

When does cheating pay? Worker reproductive parasitism in honeybees

“…All samples were genotyped at nine polymorphic microsatellite loci. Six of these loci were specific to Apis cerana (Takahashi et al, 2009) and three were specific to A. mellifera (Solignac et al, 2003). DNA was amplified using standard PCR conditions (Estoup et al, 1994) and genotypes were assigned as in Holmes et al (Holmes et al, 2010).…”

“…For eggs, DNA was extracted from the entire egg in 50µL 5% Chelex solution. DNA from each individual was amplified at the following microsatellite loci: Ac1, Ac2, Ac3, Ac30 and Ac35 (Takahashi et al, 2009) in two polymerase chain reactions (multiplex 1: Ac1/Ac3/Ac35, multiplex 2: Ac2/Ac30) using standard PCR conditions (Estoup et al, 1994). Genotypes were scored as in Holmes et al (2010).…”

Genetic reincarnation of workers as queens in the Eastern honeybee Apis cerana

“…All samples were genotyped at nine polymorphic microsatellite loci. Six of these loci were specific to Apis cerana (Takahashi et al, 2009) and three were specific to A. mellifera (Solignac et al, 2003). DNA was amplified using standard PCR conditions (Estoup et al, 1994) and genotypes were assigned as in Holmes et al (2010).…”