Characterization of nine novel microsatellite markers from Brandt's vole (Lasiopodomys brandtii).

Highly polymorphic microsatellite markers are the most powerful tools to infer kinship relations. In this study, a library enriched for (AC)(n) (AG)(n) and (AGAT)(n) was constructed for screening microsatellite markers in Brandt's vole (Lasiopodomys brandtii), and nine novel polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed and characterized. The number of alleles ranged from 4 to 11 per locus and the mean polymorphism information content was 0.7535. The observed and the expected heterozygosity values averaged 0.760 (0.554-0.908) and 0.7914 (0.718-0.845), respectively. Average nonexclusion probability for one candidate parent varied from 0.485 to 0.716. These nine novel markers are highly polymorphic and powerful enough for our future kinship analysis.