Microsatellites
How it works
Microsatellites are hypervariable, neutral and codominant markers used for intraspecific population genetics (Avise, 1994). Microsatellites are repeated sequences (sets of 2 or 3 nucleotides for instance) distributed all along the nuclear genome. At each microsatellite locus, the variability in the observed number of repeated sequences determines the number of “alleles”. In diploid organisms, loci can be homozygous (two identical alleles) or heterozygous (two different alleles). The genotyping of one individual allows the identification of the alleles present at each locus.
Population
DNA
Microsatellites
BENEFIT
Interests
- Precise characterization of individuals and strains
- Detection of contamination between strains of the same species
- Reproducibility (Borém and Caix-eta 2016) and Sylvie W.
Microsatellites
Limits
- Specific-species development (Larson, Shawn E. et al. 2017) & Sylvie W
- Presence of “null alleles” (unamplified alleles during genotyping)
- Risk of Homoplasy (Rousset 1996; Estoup at al. 2002; Bhargava and Fuentes 2010; Haal and Payseur 2011)
- Possible genetic linkage between some locis (K. A. Selkoe and R. J. Toonen, 2006)
- Expertise required in population genetics for some advanced applications
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