Microsatellites from rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) for genetic diversity analysis and cross-amplification in six Hevea wild species

Hevea brasiliensis is native to the Amazonian rain forest and an important source of natural rubber. Twenty seven polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized from a GA-CA enriched genomic library of H. brasiliensis. The number of alleles ranged from 2 to 20. The observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.13 to 0.88 and from 0.00 to 0.89, respectively. Cross-species amplification of the markers developed for H. brasiliensis was successful in the wild Hevea species H. guianensis, H. rigidifolia, H. nitida, H. pauciflora, H. benthamiana and H. camargoana. The data indicated a high degree of sequence homology in the microsatellite flanking regions of these species. The developed SSR loci are a potential powerful tool for studies of population genetics, genetic diversity and gene flow among Hevea species.