Development and characterization of simple sequence repeat DNA markers for Zelkova serrata

We developed 14 microsatellite loci from an enriched genomic DNA library of a broad-leaved deciduous tree, Zelkova serrata. Of 198 clones from the library, 112 contained microsatellite repeat regions. The M13-tailed primer method was used for economy. Sequence-specific primer pairs were designed for 58 of 76 candidate clones. Fourteen of these primer pairs successfully amplified polymorphic single loci among 34 individuals collected from the Kanto breeding region in Japan. The expected heterozygosity for the 14 microsatellite markers ranged from 0.378 to 0.876, suggesting that these will prove valuable for breeding and ecological studies on Z. serrata.