Direct cloning of microsatellite loci from Cottus gobio through a simplified enrichment procedure

Applying a simplified enrichment procedure, we have isolated and characterized 177 microsatellite markers for Cottus gobio L., 1758 (Cottidae, Scorpaeniformes, Teleostei). In contrast to using specific probes for the enrichment, we use genomic DNAs of unrelated organisms for cross‐hybridization. This takes advantage of the fact that simple sequences are the only repetitive elements that are abundantly found in all eukaryotic genomes and that any genome usually contains all permutations of microsatellite motifs. This cross‐hybridization principle was employed to enrich genomic libraries of Cottus DNA to obtain a large number of nonredundant microsatellite markers without further screening procedures.