Variable-number tandem repeat loci-discriminating Pleurotus ostreatus cultivars

Pleurotus ostreatus is one of the most important edible mushrooms. Many cultivars have been bred to meet consumer needs. The identification of cultivars based on the morphological characteristics is restricted because fruiting bodies are frequently capricious due to environmental conditions; accordingly, sequence-based methods are required. A total of 546 simple sequence repeat primers derived from the P. ostreatus genome were screened, and one primer, JHH_SSR-184, was found to show polymorphisms on the major cultivars in Korea. The sequences of the polymorphic loci showed variable-number tandem repeat loci-like features enabling cultivar specificity. Thus, these loci might be applicable to discriminate P. ostreatus cultivars.