Molecular evidence of allodiploidy in F1 gametophytic blades from a cross between Neopyropia yezoensis and a cryptic species of the Neopyropia yezoensis complex (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) by the use of microsatellite markers

We investigated whether six microsatellite (MS) markers previously developed for two marine crop species, Neopyropia yezoensis and Neopyropia tenera (formerly Pyropia yezoensis and Pyropia tenera, respectively), are useful for molecular analysis of gametophytic blades resulting from a cross between Neopyropia yezoensis and Neopyropia sp. 2, a cryptic species of the N. yezoensis complex. Three (Pye1, Pye13, and Pye38) of the six MS markers could be used to genotype the cryptic species Neopyropia sp. 2. Using these three MS markers, we evaluated whether the F-1 gametophytic blades resulting from the cross between N. yezoensis and the cryptic species Neopyropia sp. 2 are allodiploid in the haploid gametophytic phase. The F-1 blades that developed from both conchospore and archeospore exhibited heterozygous genotypes at two MS loci (Pye13 and Pye38). The MS marker analyses clearly showed that the F1 blades were allodiploid, strongly supporting the findings of a previous study that was based on a single CAPS marker. In addition, the MS markers employed in this study could serve as useful tools for studies on allopolyploidy in and sympatric speciation of the marine alga Neopyropia.