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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Genetic Improvement for Fruits & Vegetables Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #267985
Title: Cranberry microsatellite marker development from assembled next-generation genomic sequence

Author
item GEORGI, LAURA - Rutgers University
item HERAI, ROBERTO - Universidade De Campinas (UNICAMP)
item VIDAL, RAMON - Universidade De Campinas (UNICAMP)
item CARAZZOLLE, MARCEL0 - Universidade De Campinas (UNICAMP)
item PAREIRA, GONCALO - Universidade De Campinas (UNICAMP)
item Polashock, James
item VORSA, NICHOLI - Rutgers University

Submitted to: Molecular Breeding
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/18/2011
Publication Date: 8/6/2011
Citation: Georgi, L., Herai, R.H., Vidal, R., Carazzolle, M.F., Pareira, G.G., Polashock, J.J., Vorsa, N. 2011. Cranberry microsatellite marker development from assembled next-generation genomic sequence. Molecular Breeding. 30:227-237.

Interpretive Summary: Cranberry is a native North American fruit that is a rich source of nutrients with demonstrated benefits for human health. Breeding new cranberry varieties with improved nutritive value is slow since cranberry is a long-lived woody vine that takes two to five years to flower and produce progeny that can be evaluated for desired traits. To speed this process, we have begun a project to characterize the DNA in cranberry and develop genetic markers that can be used to identify valuable genes and desirable offspring in a breeding program. This approach has worked well and we now have over 100 genetic markers that can be used by breeders in developing improved cranberry varieties. These results will be used by scientists working on all aspects of cranberry research including breeding for disease resistance, crop productivity and nutritive value.

Technical Abstract: The large-fruited cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) is a native North American fruit that is a rich source of dietary phytochemicals with demonstrated and potential benefits for human health. Cranberry is a perennial, self-fertile 2n=2x=24 diploid, with a haploid genome size about 570 Mbp. Present commercial cultivars are only a few breeding and selection cycles removed from their wild progenitors. Resources, such as transcript or genomic sequences, molecular genetic markers, and genetic linkage maps, are needed to facilitate genetic enhancement. We have begun to generate these resources, starting with next-generation (SOLiD mate-paired) sequencing of an inbred cranberry clone, assembling the reads, and developing microsatellite markers from the assembled sequence. Development and testing of cranberry genomic microsatellite primers allows 1) testing the accuracy of the sequence assembly, 2) acquiring much-needed molecular markers for a genetic linkage map of cranberry and 3) permitting sequence scaffolds to be anchored on the genetic map.