Isolation of new microsatellite-containing sequences inAcanthopanax senticosus

Microsatellite markers, also called simple sequence repeats (SSRs), are comprised of a 2-to 6-nucIeotide repeat motif. They are useful as molecular markers for genetic authentication, crop breeding programs, and linkage analysis for map-based cloning. From a microsatellite-enriched genomic library ofAcanthopanax senticosus, we identified 239 new microsatellite-containing sequences. The di-nucleotide repeat units were the most abundant (55.2%), followed by tri-nucleotide repeat units (24.6%). In detailed repeat structures, the (AG)_n motif was most frequent (30.5%), followed by the (AC)_n motif (21.7%). Heptaand octa-nucleotide repeat motifs were found in each single locus, and a total of 33 (13.8%) complex repeat structures were recorded. This is the first report of mass isolation of microsatellites via screening of anA. senticosus library, and may well provide information useful as a genetic resource for the further study ofA. senticosus.