SBC LTER: Reef: Microsatellite markers for the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera

These data report the isolation and characterization of 16 microsatellite loci to study the
population genetics of the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera. 180 samples of blade tissue were
collected at Carpinteria Reef, Santa Barbara Channel, CA (USA) in July 2006. Sequence data are available from GenBank. These data were published as a Technical Note in
the journal Conservation Genetics in 2009. These data were published as a technical note: Alberto, F., A. C. Whitmer, N. C.
Coelho, M. Zippay, E. Varela-Alvarez, P. T. Raimondi, D. C. Reed and E. A. Serrão. 2009.
Microsatellite markers for the giant kelp Macroystis pyrifera. Conservation Genetics.
10:1915-1917 doi: 10.1007/s10592-009-9853-9 Abstract: We report the isolation and characterization of 16 microsatellite loci to study
the population genetics of the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera. Markers were obtained by
screening a genomic library enriched for microsatellite motifs. Of the 37 primer pairs
defined, 16 amplified clean polymorphic microsatellites and are described. These loci
identified a number of alleles ranging from three to forty (mean= 16.5, and gene diversity
ranging from 0.469 to 0.930 (mean= 0.774). The isolation and characterization of these highly
polymorphic markers will greatly benefit much needed studies on the molecular ecology of this
important macroalga.