The use of molecular markers for Juniperus communis research

Abstract

Juniperus communis has the widest distribution area of the conifers in western hemisphere, but species is suffering from high fragmentation in a lot of regions. One of the most valuable method to estimate Jc population diversity is the use of molecular markers. Molecular genetic research is characterized as highly accurate and gives more reasonable results than the use of phenotypic traits. For Jc research the most used molecular markers are based on Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) such as Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD), Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP), Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) and Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR), but there are also a few research that used alloenzyme and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP). These all markers have some benefits and limitations. The earliest research for Jc is based on RAPD to estimate systematic relationships of Juniperus spp. But RAPD markers have some limitations such as they are all practically dominant. The later studies of population genetics used AFLP markers, but these are also dominant. Later on five nuclear microsatellite markers (Jc 016, Jc 031, Jc 032, Jc 035, Jc 037) were developed, they are all co-dominat and there are huge increase in studies that evaluate the genetic resources of Jc. The overall knowledge of Jc given from the use of molecular markers is very valuable for understanding of the habitant fragmentation influence to Jc and for presumptions of future adaptability of the species to environmental change.