Can cross-species transferable molecular markers be useful on genetic diversity studies?

Abstract

Nowadays underused in Europe, Lathyrus species were in the past widespread in Mediterranean regions. The superior atmospheric nitrogen fixation rate and potential in crop rotation, allied to the ability to tolerate salinity, drought and flooding , make some of these Lathyrus species highly potential for sustainable agriculture. Being member of the legume family Fabaceae, Lathyrus spp. could share genes, physiological processes and defense mechanisms with economically important related crops such as pea and lupines. Likewise, the molecular tools developed on these model species and cross-amplifiable on Lathyrus spp. could be used on them for different genetic studies, such as diversity analysis. Accordingly, the genetic diversity of an Iberian collection of 45 Lathyrus sativus (grass pea) and 45 L. cicera (chickling vetch) accessions was evaluated using 17 cross -species amplifiable molecular markers (ITAP, EST -SSR and gSSR), developed for Pisum sativum, Lupinus albus and Medicago truncatula . Homology of amplified fragments was confirmed by sequencing. In L. sativus , 2 loci did not amplify, 7 were monomorphic and 8 polymorphic, with an allele average of 3.75 (range 2 -8) and a PIC average of 0.356 (range 0.024 - 0.792). For L. cicera, 7 loci were polymo rphic and 10 monomorphic, with an allele average of 2.14 (range 2 - 3) and a PIC average of 0.287 (range 0.099 - 0.435). Four loci were polymorphic in both Lathyrus species. These results confirm the feasibility of interchange molecular markers for genetic studies, revealing a higher heterozygosity and a potential higher outcrossing rate of L. sativus in relation to L. cicera.