Development of single-nucleotide polymorphism markers for Bromus tectorum (Poaceae) from a partially sequenced...

Area of Science:

• Botany
• Genetics
• Ecology

Background:

• Bromus tectorum is an invasive annual grass species with significant ecological impact.
• Its successful invasion in the U.S. Intermountain West necessitates understanding its diversity.

Purpose of the Study:

• Develop and validate single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers.
• Investigate the geospatial and ecological diversity of Bromus tectorum populations.
• Elucidate mechanisms driving B. tectorum's invasive success.

Main Methods:

• Sequencing normalized cDNA libraries from diverse B. tectorum individuals.
• Developing 95 SNP assays for high-throughput genotyping.
• Utilizing Fluidigm EP1 platform and 96.96 arrays for verification.

Main Results:

• 95 polymorphic SNP markers were successfully developed and verified.
• Genotyping of 251 individuals across 12 populations confirmed marker utility.
• Amplification data were obtained for four related Bromus species.

Conclusions:

• Developed SNP markers are polymorphic within B. tectorum populations.
• Markers are optimized for high-throughput genotyping applications.
• Potential applicability to other Bromus species for diversity studies.