A feasibility study of the use of random amplified polymorphic DNA in the population genetics and systematics of grasshoppers.

Single, short primers of arbitrary nucleotide sequence were used in polymerase chain reactions to amplify regions of DNA isolated from several melanopline and oedipodine grasshoppers collected from local Saskatchewan populations. This represents one of the first applications of the method, called randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (or RAPD), to natural populations. Twenty-four different oligonucleotide primers, nine nucleotides in length, yielded clear and reproducible bands corresponding to amplified products and separable by agarose gel electrophoresis. On average, about 8.1 bands (range 0-17) were obtained per primer per individual. The mean percent similarity between band profiles of conspecific individuals was 51.2%, whereas the mean value for individuals representing different species or genera was 35.0%. Clearly, greater numbers of insects and primers will be required to achieve a satisfactory level of phylogenetic resolution. Given RAPDs technical advantages and ease of execution, however, this should not be problematic to the molecular systematist.