TY - JOUR
T1 - A comparison of RAPD versus microsatellite DNA markers in population studies of the massasauga rattlesnake
AU - Lougheed, Stephen C.
AU - Gibbs, H. L.
AU - Prior, K. A.
AU - Weatherhead, P. J.
N1 - Funding Information:
From the Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6 (Lougheed), Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (Gibbs), Endangered Species Division, Canadian Wildlife Service, Hull, Quebec, Canada (Prior), and Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (Weatherhead). We thank Barrie Hughson (Parks Canada) for long-term support of our work on snakes, Lilie DeSousa for expert laboratory analyses, Andrew Chek, Peter de Groot for comments on earlier drafts of the manuscript, and John Brzus-towski for answering queries regarding his software. Two anonymous reviewers provided comments that improved the manuscript immeasurably. This work was funded by Parks Canada and by NSERC Research grants to H.J.G. and P.J.W. Address correspondence to Stephen Lougheed, at the address above or e-mail: [email protected].
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - We compared genetic differentiation among populations of the threatened massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus c. catenatus) using two types of nuclear molecular markers: randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers and microsatellites. Analyses of molecular variance (AMOVA) and GST and FST analyses indicated that levels of among-population differentiation between regional populations (>100 km) were comparable for both markers. However, microsatellites were superior in population assignment tests and at discerning fine-scale genetic differentiation between subpopulations separated by tens of kilometers. These results argue that both types of markers are suitable for defining broad-scale genetic structures in snake populations and can provide important inputs into conservation initiatives of focal taxa. However, our analyses suggest that microsatellites are better for detecting structure at limited spatial scales.
AB - We compared genetic differentiation among populations of the threatened massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus c. catenatus) using two types of nuclear molecular markers: randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers and microsatellites. Analyses of molecular variance (AMOVA) and GST and FST analyses indicated that levels of among-population differentiation between regional populations (>100 km) were comparable for both markers. However, microsatellites were superior in population assignment tests and at discerning fine-scale genetic differentiation between subpopulations separated by tens of kilometers. These results argue that both types of markers are suitable for defining broad-scale genetic structures in snake populations and can provide important inputs into conservation initiatives of focal taxa. However, our analyses suggest that microsatellites are better for detecting structure at limited spatial scales.
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U2 - 10.1093/jhered/91.6.458
DO - 10.1093/jhered/91.6.458
M3 - Article
C2 - 11218083
AN - SCOPUS:0034491837
SN - 0022-1503
VL - 91
SP - 458
EP - 463
JO - Journal of Heredity
JF - Journal of Heredity
IS - 6
ER -