Isolation, characterization and predicted genome locations of Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) microsatellite loci

Abstract

We isolated 134 eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) microsatellite sequences. Eight of these newly isolated loci were characterized in 38 Eurasian eagle-owls in a northern European population. Sequence homology was used to assign a predicted chromosome location for the eight loci. We also redesigned primers for four previously isolated eagle-owl sequences and cross-amplified two published primer sets previously characterized in other owl species. These 14 loci were amplified in three multiplex PCR sets and displayed 2–9 alleles with expected and observed heterozygosities ranging from 0.34 to 0.85 and from 0.42 to 0.97, respectively. Estimated frequencies of null-alleles were low and only one locus deviated from Hardy– Weinberg equilibrium. After correcting for multiple tests, linkage disequilibrium was found for a single pair of loci. The combined probability of identity for the 14 loci was 3.5 9 10-12. These microsatellite loci are expected to be useful for genetic monitoring, parentage analysis and population genetic studies. bubo bubo, microsatellite loci, multiplex PCR, non-invasive samples, predicted genome locations