Development of microsatellite markers and estimation of inbreeding frequency in the parasitoid wasp Melittobia.

ABSTRACT: The parasitoid wasp Melittobia is an important insect for basic and applied biology. Specifically, their extremely female-biased sex ratios, which contrast to the prediction of pre-existing theories, are needed to be explained from the aspect of evolutionary biology. In this study, using next-generation sequencing, 20 microsatellite loci were developed and characterized for M. australica. The developed loci were used to analyze two populations, one from a mainland Japan and one from the Okinawa island region. Both populations showed a smaller observed heterozygosity than expected, and a high inbreeding coefficient. Deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were recorded for the majority of the 20 loci, suggesting that both the populations are subdivided due to inbreeding as is expected by

SUBMITTER: Abe J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5225432 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature