Genetic diversity and population structure analysis for Ampelopsis grossedentata using microsatellite markers

Authors: XIAO YING LI, L WEI

Abstract: Ampelopsis grossedentata is an important national medicine in China. It is mainly used commonly by the Yao, Miao, Dong, and other ethnic minorities of China. The current literature, however, contains no study on the molecular genetics and taxonomy of A. grossedentata, which had led to potential problems in the conservation and utilization of this resource. Therefore, the present study was aimed to use simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers for assessing the levels and the distribution of genetic diversity in a sample set of 225 individuals from nine populations of A. grossedentata in China. The genetic differentiation among the nine populations was estimated at the level of 27 microsatellite loci. All loci were polymorphic in the nine populations analyzed. The average value of the Wright?s fixation index (Fis) was -0.1154, with the range of -0.4627 to 0.2399, at the population level. The average Fit value was -0.0119, with the range of -0.3523 to 0.3563, at the population level. The Fst value was 0.0928 on average, ranging from 0.0463 to 0.1567. The SSR analysis revealed high levels of genetic variations within the studied populations, while the genetic differentiation among the populations was low. This finding probably reflected the historical association among the different populations of A. grossedentata. It is possible that sexual reproduction in the natural breeding system of A. grossedentata increased the levels of genetic variation within the populations while it reduced the genetic differences among the populations. The genetic cluster analysis revealed that the basal clade comprised populations from South China and that the different populations of A. grossedentata were categorized into five branches, which had continuous southeastward and southwestward distributions. The genetic structure of the populations and the levels of genetic diversity of A. grossedentata observed in the present study could provide important insights into the current status and the protection value of this species.

Keywords: Ampelopsis grossedentata, genetic diversity, population structure, microsatellite markers

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