Development of 14 Microsatellite Markers in the Endangered Relict Plant Craigia yunnanensis (Tiliaceae)

Craigia yunnanensis (Tiliaceae) is an endangered relic tree in China. Its wild populations have been seriously damaged and fragmented due to severe human disturbance. In this study, we developed microsatellite markers in order to study the variation of the mating system of C. yunnanensis. We collected 19 067 214 unigenes sequences by shallow sequencing of the genome. A bioinformatics screening identified 15 235 unique and putative microsatellites, from which 590 novel microsatellite markers were developed. We designed 70 primer pairs and successfully amplified 14 of them in 30 individuals. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 1 to 12. The observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.000 to 1.000 and 0.000 to 0.906, respectively. These microsatellite loci will enrich the genetic resources to develop functional studies and conservation strategies for this endangered relict species.