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Development of twenty-four novel microsatellite markers for the freshwater crayfish, Geocharax gracilis, using next generation sequencing

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Abstract

The crayfish Geocharax gracilis is an important inhabitant of natural and agricultural drainage systems in south-eastern Australia. To investigate population structure, genetic diversity and patterns of connectivity in natural and human-altered ecosystems, we isolated and characterised 24 microsatellite loci using next generation sequencing. Loci were initially tested for levels of variation based on 12 individuals from across the species’ geographical range. A further 33 individuals from a single population were used to test for departures from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium and linkage disequilibrium. We detected high to moderate levels of genetic variation across most loci with a mean allelic richness of 8.42 and observed heterozygosity of 0.629 (all samples combined). We found no evidence for linkage disequilibrium between any loci and only three loci (Geo01, Geo24 and Geo47) showed significant deviations from Hardy–Weinberg expectations. These same three loci, plus two additional loci (Geo06 and Geo28), also showed the presence of null alleles. These 24 variable markers will provide an important tool for future population genetic assessments in natural and human altered environments.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank A. Miller and A. Fitch for technical assistance. A Deakin University Central Research Grant Scheme grant, awarded to DI, CDHS and MS, supported this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre of Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3217, Australia

    Craig D. H. Sherman, Annalise M. Stanley & Kim Weston

  2. School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Warrnambool, VIC, 3280, Australia

    Daniel Ierodiaconou & Mark B. Schultz

  3. School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia

    Michael G. Gardner

  4. School of Earth and Environmental Science, Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia

    Michael G. Gardner

  5. Division of Infection and Immunity, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia

    Mark B. Schultz

Authors
  1. Craig D. H. Sherman
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  2. Daniel Ierodiaconou
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  3. Annalise M. Stanley
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  4. Kim Weston
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  5. Michael G. Gardner
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  6. Mark B. Schultz
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Correspondence to Craig D. H. Sherman.

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Sherman, C.D.H., Ierodiaconou, D., Stanley, A.M. et al. Development of twenty-four novel microsatellite markers for the freshwater crayfish, Geocharax gracilis, using next generation sequencing. Conservation Genet Resour 4, 555–558 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-011-9590-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-011-9590-5

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