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The use of microsatellite analysis in population biology: Background, methods and potential applications

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Molecular Ecology and Evolution: Approaches and Applications

Part of the book series: Experientia Supplementum ((EXS,volume 69))

Summary

A promising technique currently emerging for population studies is the analysis of microsatellite DNAs. Microsatellite alleles offer several advantages over other types of molecular markers. They are abundant, highly variable, and can be assayed from minute quantities of DNA using PCR. Their major disadvantage is that it is usually necessary to screen genomic libraries to identify and charaterize microsatellite loci for each species under investigation. The first goal of this chapter is to summarize background information having implications for population studies. This information comes primarily from human genome literature and is therefore not easily accessible to many population biologists. Secondly, because microsatellite analysis uses molecular approaches that are new to most population biologists, we attempt to provide a rationale and overview of methodology. Finally, we review population studies to date that have used microsatellite analysis and offer our perspective on the potential for future studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60680, USA

    M. V. Ashley & B. D. Dow

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  1. M. V. Ashley
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Zoologisches Institut, Universität Frankfurt, Siesmayerstr. 70, D-60054, Frankfurt, Germany

    B. Schierwater  & B. Streit  & 

  2. Department of Biology, Yale University, 165 Prospect St., New Haven, CT, 06511, USA

    G. P. Wagner

  3. Department of Entomology, American Museum of Natural History, 79th Street at Central Park West, New York, NY, 10024, USA

    R. DeSalle

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Ashley, M.V., Dow, B.D. (1994). The use of microsatellite analysis in population biology: Background, methods and potential applications. In: Schierwater, B., Streit, B., Wagner, G.P., DeSalle, R. (eds) Molecular Ecology and Evolution: Approaches and Applications. Experientia Supplementum, vol 69. Birkhäuser, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-7527-1_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-7527-1_10

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