Isolation and characterization of 15 microsatellite loci in the stingless bee Plebeia remota (Apidae: Meliponini)

The destruction of Brazilian natural habitats has reduced bee populations and negative impacts of native flora pollination have been noticed. This work describes the isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci and evaluates them as molecular markers to study genetic variability of the stingless bee Plebeia remota. A microsatellite enriched genomic library was constructed and 15 primer pairs were designed for this species. The survey was conducted by analyzing 21 unrelated individuals. Genetic diversity indexes were calculated. The mean allelic richness was 6.3, the observed heterozygosity was 0.568, and the percentage of polymorphic loci was 93.33%. Also the primers were tested in cross-species amplification and showed promising results for P. droryana, P. emerina, P. lucii, P. meridionalis, P. pugnax, and P. saiqui. The microsatellite loci described here will be useful to evaluate genetic variability of stingless bees, and certainly will improve our knowledge about population dynamics especially in threatened environments.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)FAPESP Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo[2008/08546-4]Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)FAPESP Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo[2004/15801-0]Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)FAPESP Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo[2010/50597-5]CNPq Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e TecnologicoConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)CAPES Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível SuperiorCoordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Characterization of microsatellite loci of Tetragonisca angustula (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini)

An enriched genomic library was constructed from Tetragonisca angustula, a stingless bee species widely distributed in Brazil. The library was screened using two simple-repeat oligonucleotide probes and 21 microsatellite primer pairs were designed flanking a selection of repeat sequences within positive clones. The polymorphism of the microsatellite loci was analyzed by screening a sample of 19 unrelated T. angustula workers. Fifteen out of 21 loci were shown to be polymorphic, with observed heterozygosity estimates ranging from 0.00 to 0.89. The primers were also successfully used to amplify microsatellite loci from other stingless bee species, Tetragonisca fiebrigi, Tetragonisca weyrauchi, Lestrimelitta maracaia and Schwarziana quadripunctata. The results from variability analyses suggest that the microsatellite loci isolated from T. angustula will be useful in further population studies for the species and also for other Meliponini.CNPq Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e TecnologicoConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)CAPES Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível SuperiorCoordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)FAPESP Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo[BIOTA 2004/15801-0