Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-xbtfd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T08:35:12.623Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Isolation and characterization of the first microsatellite markers for the southern harvester termite, Microhodotermes viator

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 May 2016

N. Muna  and
C. O'Ryan
N. Muna*
Affiliation:
Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
C. O'Ryan
Affiliation:
Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
*
*Author for correspondence Phone: +27 (0)21 406 6241 E-mail: natashia.muna@uct.ac.za
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The southern harvester termite, Microhodotermes viator, is ecologically important due to its nutrient cycling activities and trophic interactions. Additionally, M. viator appears to have very long-lived colonies, which amplifies their effect on the environment. In order to estimate the longevity of a colony it is necessary to understand colony genetic structure. However, intra- and intercolonial genetic structure and levels of relatedness have not yet been examined in this species, likely due to a lack of microsatellite markers that effectively hybridize in this species. Here we describe the identification and characterization of seven microsatellite loci for M. viator, using an enriched approach and a preliminary test of their suitability for studies of fine-scale population genetic structure. Seven polymorphic loci were identified, none of which deviated from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. The loci had an average of 5.8 alleles per locus (range: 2–14) and an overall mean heterozygosity of 0.51 ± 0.3. Across all loci, population level pairwise FST values showed significant genetic differentiation. The loci described and preliminary genetic data presented here provide an invaluable tool for future studies of population structure and longevity in M. viator colonies.

Keywords

Harvester termitemicrohodotermes viatormicrosatellitegenotypepopulation genetics
Type
Research Papers
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 106 , Issue 4 , August 2016 , pp. 488 - 493
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aldrich, B.T. & Kambhampati, S. (2004) Microsatellite markers for two species of dampwood termites in the genus Zootermopsis (Isoptera:Termopsidae). Molecular Ecology Notes 4, 719–721.Google Scholar
Aljanabi, S.M. & Martinez, I. (1997) Universal and rapid salt-extraction of high quality genomic DNA for PCR-based techniques. Nucleic Acids Research 25, 4692–4693.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ashe, J.S. & Maus, C. (1998) Hodoxenina. Hodoxenus sheasbyi. Version 11 September 1998 (under construction). Available online at http://tolweb.org/Hodoxenus_sheasbyi/9876/1998.09.11 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/ Google Scholar
Booth, W., Brent, C.S., Calleri, D.V., Rosengaus, R.B., Traniello, J.F.A. & Vargo, E.L. (2012) Population genetic structure and colony breeding system in dampwood termites (Zootermopsis augusticolis and Z. Nevadensis nuttingi). Insectes Sociaux 59, 127–137.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Caterino, M.S., Cho, S. & Sperling, F.A.H. (2000) The current state of insect molecular systematics: a thriving Tower of Babel. Annual Review of Entomology 45, 1–54.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coaton, W.G.H. & Sheasby, J.L. (1974) National survey of the Isoptera of southern Africa. 6. The genus Microhodotermes sjostedt (Hodotermitidae). Cimbebasia A 3, 140–172.Google Scholar
Cramer, M.D., Innes, S.N. & Midgley, J.J. (2012) Hard evidence that heuweltjie earth mounds are relictual features produced by differential erosion. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 350–352, 189–197.Google Scholar
Dakin, E.E. & Avise, J.C. (2004) Microsatellite null alleles in parentage analysis. Heredity 93, 504–509.Google Scholar
Dean, W.R.J. (1989) Foraging and forager-recruitment in Ophthalmopone hottentota emery (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Psyche 96, 123–130.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dean, W.R.J. (1993) Unpredictable foraging behaviour in Microhodotermes viator (Isoptera: Hodotermitidae): an antipredator tactic? Journal of African Zoology 107, 281–285.Google Scholar
Dharmarajan, G., Beatty, W.S. & Rhodes, O.E. (2013) Heterozygote deficiencies caused by a Wahlund effect: dispelling unfounded expectations. The Journal of Wildlife Management 77, 226–234.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Glenn, T.C. & Schable, N.A. (2005) Isolating microsatellite DNA loci. pp. 202–222 in Zimmer, E.A. & Roalson, E.H. (Eds) Methods in Enzymology395, Molecular Evolution: Producing the Biochemical Data, Part B. USA, Academic Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goodisman, M.A.D., Evans, T.A., Ewen, J.G. & Crozier, R.H. (2001) Microsatellite markers in the primitive Mastotermes darwiniensis . Molecular Ecology Notes 1, 250–251.Google Scholar
Husseneder, C., Messenger, M.T., Su, N., Grace, K.J. & Vargo, E.L. (2005) Colony social organisation and population genetic structure of an introduced population of Formosan subterranean termites from New Orleans, Louisiana. Journal of Economic Entomology 98, 1421–1434.Google Scholar
Inward, D., Beccaloni, G. & Eggleton, P. (2007) Death of an order: a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study confirms that termites are eusocial cockroaches. Biology Letters 3, 331–335.Google Scholar
Kok, O.B. & Hewitt, P.H. (1990) Bird and mammal predators of the harvester termite Hodotermes mossambicus (Hagen) in the semi-arid regions of South Africa. South African Journal of Science 86, 34–37.Google Scholar
Kok, O.B. & Nel, J.A.J. (1992) Diet of the bat-eared foxes in the Orange Free State and northern Cape Province. South African Journal of Wildlife Research 22, 36–39.Google Scholar
Kuntzsch, V. & Nel, J.A.J. (1992) Diet of bat-eared foxes Otocyon megalotis in the Karoo. Koedoe 35, 37–48.Google Scholar
Lovegrove, B.G. & Siegfried, W.R. (1986) Distribution and formation of the Mima-like earth mounds in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. South African Journal of Science 82, 432–436.Google Scholar
Lovegrove, B.G. & Siegfried, W.R. (1989) Spacing and origin(s) of Mima like earth mounds in the Cape Province of South Africa. South African Journal of Science 85, 108–112.Google Scholar
Macaranas, J.M., Colgan, D.J., Major, R.E., Cassis, G. & Gray, M.R. (2001) Species discrimination and population differentiation in ants using microsatellites. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 29, 125–136.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Martins, W.S., Lucas, D.C.S., de Souza Neves, K.F. & Bertioli, D.J. (2009) WebSat - A web software for microsatellite marker development. Bioinformation 3, 282.Google Scholar
Midgley, G.F. & Musil, C.F. (1990) Substrate effects of zoogenic soil mounds on vegetation composition in the Worcester-Robertson valley, Cape Province. South African Journal of Botany 56, 158–166.Google Scholar
Midgley, G.F. & Hoffman, T. (1991) Heuweltjies: nutrient factors. Veld & Flora 77, 72–75.Google Scholar
Moore, J.M. & Picker, M.D. (1991) Heuweltjies (earth mounds) in the Clanwilliam district, Cape Province, South Africa: 4000-year-old termite nests. Oecologia 86, 424–432.Google Scholar
Nel, J.A.J. & Mackie, A.J. (1990) Food and foraging behaviour of bat-eared foxes in the south-eastern Orange Free State. South African Journal of Wildlife Research 20, 162–166.Google Scholar
Pamilo, P., Gertsch, P., Thoren, P. & Seppa, P. (1997) Molecular population genetics of social insects. Annual Review of Ecological Systematics 28, 1–25.Google Scholar
Picker, M.D., Hoffman, M.T. & Leverton, B. (2007) Density of Microhodotermes viator mounds in southern Africa in relation to rainfall and vegetative productivity gradients. Journal of Zoology 271, 37–44.Google Scholar
Potts, A.J., Midgley, J.J. & Harris, C. (2009) Stable isotope and 14C study of biogenic calcrete in a termite mound, Western Cape, South Africa, and its palaeoenvironmental significance. Quaternary Research 72, 258–264.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Promega (2010) pGEM®-T and pGEM®-T Easy Vector Systems Technical Manual. Promega Corporation, USA. Pp27. Available online at http://www.promega.com/~/media/Files/Resources/Protocols/Technical%20Manuals/0/pGEM-T%20and%20pGEM-T%20Easy%20Vector%20Systems%20Protocol.pdf (accessed 5 December 2013).Google Scholar
Queller, D.C., Strassmann, J.E. & Hughes, C.R. (1993) Microsatellites and kinship. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 8, 285–290.Google Scholar
Raymond, M. & Rousset, F. (1995) GENEPOP Version 4.2: population genetics software for exact tests and ecumenicism. Journal of Heredity 86, 248–249.Google Scholar
Shuttleworth, C., Mouton, P. & van Wyk, J.H. (2008) Group size and termite consumption in the armadillo lizard, Cordylus cataphractus . Amphibia-Reptilia 29, 171–176.Google Scholar
Van Oosterhout, C., Hutchinson, W.F., Wills, D.P.M. & Shipley, P. (2004) Micro-checker: software for identifying and correcting genotyping errors in microsatellite data. Molecular Ecology Notes 4, 535–538.Google Scholar
Vargo, E.L. (2003) Hierarchical analysis of colony and population genetic structure of the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes, using two classes of molecular markers. Evolution 57, 2805–2818.Google Scholar
Vargo, E.L. & Husseneder, C. (2011) Genetic structure of termite colonies and populations. pp. 321–347 in Bignel, D.E., Roisin, Y. & Lo, N. (Eds) Biology of Termites: a Modern Synthesis. Netherlands: Springer Netherlands.Google Scholar
Watson, J.A.L. (1973) The worker caste of the hodotermitid harvester termites. Insectes Sociaux 20, 1–20.Google Scholar