Candidate SSR markers for use within various members of the Fagaceae have been indentified from 454-based EST sequence data (refer to the EST page for the various libraries used). Data were combined for all libraries and EST contigs showing evidence for in silico SSR polymorphism within or between the various genotypes and species used were identified as candidates for SSR primer pair development and screening. A set of primer pairs were chosen and developed from this list of candidates and screened against a diverse panel of the Fagaceae including two Chinese chestnut trees (Castanea mollissima), two American chestnut trees (C. dentata), two European chestnut trees (C. sativa), two northern red oak trees (Quercus rubra), two swamp white oak trees (Q. michauxii), and two American beech trees (Fagus grandifolia). To increase the number of SSR markers useful for linkage analysis within our Chinese x Chinese mapping pedigrees, further SSR marker development will focus specifically on in silico polymorphisms identified using only Chinese chestnut EST sequence data.

Candidate SNP markers for use within various members of the Fagaceae have also been indentified from the 454-based EST sequence data. EST contigs showing evidence for in silico SNP polymorphism within as well as between the various EST libraries were identified. Our immediate goal is to develop a SNP chip consisting of a subset of SNPs identified within or between the Chinese chestnut trees used for library construction, a subset of SNPs within or between the American chestnut trees, and a subset of SNPs between Chinese and American chestnut trees. The SNPs within Chinese chestnut can be used for mapping in our Chinese x Chinese mapping pedigrees. The SNPs within American chestnut can be used for future mapping within American x American chestnut crosses. SNPs between Chinese chestnut and American chestnut may prove useful for future association mapping and identification of pure species and hybrids between Chinese and American chestnut.

As data is publicly released, it will become available on this page.