Isolation and Characterization of 15 New Microsatellite Markers in <em>Oncomelania hupensis</em>, the Snail Intermediate Host of <em>Schistosoma</em> <em>japonicum</em> in Mainland China

• Main Authors: Xiaonong Zhou, Pin Yang, Qiang Wang, Qin Liu, Yingjun Qian, Shizhu Li, Li Zhang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2012-05-01
• Series: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
• Subjects: <em>Oncomelania hupensis</em> <em> </em>microsatellites DNA; polymorphism; population genetics
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/13/5/5844

<em>Oncomelania hupensis</em> is the unique intermediate host of <em>Schistosoma japonicum</em>, which plays a key role during the transmission of schistosomiasis. It is mainly found in the Yangtze River valley and mountains or hills in southwest China. In this paper, we described 15 new microsatellite makers in <em>O. hupensis.</em> Polymorphism of each locus was assessed in 80 individuals from four wild populations (<em>n</em> = 20 per population). The number of alleles per locus ranged from 6 to 29, with an average of 15.8. The observed (<em>H<sub>O</sub></em>) and expected (<em>H<sub>E</sub></em>) heterozygosities varied from 0.397 to 0.851 and from 0.696 to 0.948, respectively. These microsatellite markers will be useful for population genetic studies and genome mapping in <em>O. hupensis</em>.