Species specific cpDNA markers useful for studies on the hybridisation between Pinus mugo and P. sylvestris

Abstract

PCR-RFLP technique has been used to detect species-specific mutations of organelles DNA for closely related dwarf mountain pine (Pinus mugo) and Scots pine (P. sylvestris). Restriction fragment patterns have been compared of amplification products for trnL-trnF cpDNA and for coxI and orf25 genes of mtDNA. The difference has been found in the Dral and Hinfl restriction patterns of the amplification products for trnL-trnF region of cpDNA with two haplotypes detected. The haplotype M is characteristic for P. mugo and the haplotype S for P. sylvestris. These markers may be useful for the analysis of the natural hybridisation and introgression between these species postulated for some sympatric populations on the basis of morphological analysis. No differences have been disclosed in the studied mtDNA regions.