Development and Characterization of EST-SSR Markers for Tephroseris furusei (Kitam.) B. Nord. (Asteraceae) and Cross-species Amplification

Twelve polymorphic EST-SSR markers were developed and characterized for Tephroseris furusei (Kitam.) B. Nord., an endangered species endemic to limestone habitats in central Japan, and related species. In the two T. furusei populations, the total numbers of alleles for each locus ranged from 5 to 16 (average = 8.75). The observed (HO) and expected (HE) heterozygosities ranged from 0.33 to 0.76 (average = 0.58) and 0.50 to 0.89 (average = 0.75), respectively. The inbreeding coefficient (fixation index, FIS) ranged from 0.14 to 0.50 (average = 0.24) and five loci deviated significantly from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The versatility of the markers was evaluated for three congenerics: T. flammea (Turcz. ex DC.) Holub subsp. flammea, T. integrifolia (L.) Holub subsp. kirilowii (Turcz. ex DC.), and T. pierotii (Miq.) Holub. All of the EST-SSR markers were transferrable among them.