Isolation, characterization and cross-species amplification of microsatellite loci in the cycad genus Dioon (Zamiaceae). Potential utilization in population genetics studies of Dioon edule

Dioon edule (Zamiaceae) is an endemic Mexican cycad. Nineteen microsatellite loci were isolated from three enriched genomic libraries of D. edule var. angustifolium, D. tomasellii, and D. caputoi. Seven of these loci showed polymorphisms in D. edule. Levels of polymorphism were assessed using 16 individuals from each of seven populations throughout the range of this species. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to five and the observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.0 to 0.9821 and from 0.0088 to 0.6318, respectively. All loci show significant linkage disequilibrium. Three loci depart significantly from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium.