Godoy et al. 2015 (Conference Paper) Bromelia

Genetic diversity of Bromelia hieronymi Mez (Bromeliaceae) from humid chaco, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Author(s):—F. Godoy, M. Lenzi, C. Zanella, F. Bered & G. Paggi in Benko-Iseppon, A.M.; Alves, M. & Louzada, R. (2015) An overview and abstracts of the First World Congress on Bromeliaceae Evolution. Rodriguésia 66(2): A1-A66.

Publication:— (2015).

Abstract:—The Bromeliaeae family have ca. 3,000 species, which are exclusively distributed in Americas. Bromeliads have been threatened by anthropic pressures due to predatory gathering and habitat destruction, being used for ornamental, forage, food and medical uses. Chaco or ?Gran Chaco? is the term applied to seasonal vegetation, which is divided into an eastern sector, with a more humid climate, and a western, drier sector, whilst the submeridional lowlands include a large depression between these two areas. In Brazil, Chaco vegetation is restricted to the western border of Mato Grosso do Sul State (MS). In this study, we analyzed the genetic diversity of natural populations of Bromelia hieronymi Mez (Bromelioideae), which occur in humid Chaco, in Fazenda Retiro Conceição, Porto Murtinho city in the southwestern part of MS. We cross-amplifiedfive primers described for other species: Ac01 and Ac25 (Aechmea caudata, Bromelioideae), VgA04 and VgC01 (Vriesea gigantea, Tillandsioideae), and PaD07 (Pitcairnia albiflos, Pitcairnioideae). Based on those microsatellite nuclear molecular markers, we described the basic genetic diversity parameters: number of alleles per locus (N), observed (HO) and expected heterozygosities (HE), index of fixation (FIS); and to test data for Hardy Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). We conducted DNA extractions using the CTAB protocol in a sample of 28 individuals from a natural population. We performed PCR reactions following the protocols previously developed by our research group. The PCR products were analyzed on 1% agarose gels stained with GelRed (Invitrogen) and visualized on an ultraviolet light transilluminator. In this natural population of B. hieronymi, we observed 5 to 10 alleles per locus, with a mean of 7.2 per locus. Our set of markers revealed high levels of genetic diversity, the HO and HE heterozygosities ranged from 0.277 to 0.958 and 0.627 to 0.911, respectively. On average HO and HE were 0.668 and 0.798, respectively. On average, FIS was low (0.166), and ranged from -0.053 to 0.651, deviations from HWE were observed only in the locus Ac01 (p = 0.00001). High levels of genetic diversity have been observed in many other bromeliad species from different genera and biomes. A good set of polymorphic microsatellite loci are necessary to perform different studies concerning population genetics and conservation. The cross-amplification of microsatellite loci seems to be a great tool for research in natural populations of native bromeliad species, regarding different areas of knowledge, such as population genetics (genetic diversity and structure) and gene flow, which will produce very important data for the diagnosis of natural population viability and their conservation.

Keywords:—Bromelioideae; Conservation; Wetlands.