POLYMORPHIC MICROSATELLITE LOCI IN MIMULUS-GUTTATUS AND RELATED SPECIES

The evolution of self-fertilization from outcrossing is one of the mos t common evolutionary transitions in flowering plants. One goal of our research is to develop a linkage map based upon microsatellite loci i n Mimulus guttatus and the selfing derivative M. nasutus in order to e xamine the genetics of one such transition. Here we present 19 primer pairs that detect polymorphisms between these two species. Within-popu lation allelic surveys demonstrate the value of these markers for deta iled analysis of population structure. We have found also that many of the microsatellites are conserved in more distantly related Mimulus s pecies, and may thus serve as useful genetic markers for population ge netic and comparative mapping studies within this diverse genus.