Use of rbcL and trnL-F as a two-locus DNA barcode for identification of NW-European ferns: an ecological perspective.

ABSTRACT: Although consensus has now been reached on a general two-locus DNA barcode for land plants, the selected combination of markers (rbcL + matK) is not applicable for ferns at the moment. Yet especially for ferns, DNA barcoding is potentially of great value since fern gametophytes--while playing an essential role in fern colonization and reproduction--generally lack the morphological complexity for morphology-based identification and have therefore been underappreciated in ecological studies. We evaluated the potential of a combination of rbcL with a noncoding plastid marker, trnL-F, to obtain DNA-identifications for fern species. A regional approach was adopted, by creating a reference database of trusted rbcL and trnL-F sequences for the wild-occurring homosporous ferns of NW-Europe. A comb

SUBMITTER: de Groot GA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3027654 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature