Cross-species transferability of 86 cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) microsatellite markers to gherkin (C. anguria L.)

Gherkin (Cucumis anguria L.), also known as West Indian gherkin, burr gherkin, and maxixe, is mainly cultivated and consumed in Brazil and the United States. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) would be a highly desirable tool for breeding of gherkin as gherkin cultivation generally requires considerable time, labor, and space. However, DNA markers available for gherkin have rarely been reported, although many microsatellite linkage maps have been constructed for cucumber and whole genomic sequences have been reported. In this study, we attempted to transfer 86 microsatellite markers derived from cucumber to gherkin and assess amplification and polymorphism between two gherkin accessions to enable the use of the microsatellite markers in gherkin. In PI 320052 and PI 364475, 58 (67.4%) and 55 (64.0%) microsatellite markers were successfully amplified, respectively. Of the amplified markers, the polymorphism number between the two accessions was 40. Thus, an adequate number of cucumber microsatellite markers can be transferred to gherkin. Current polymorphic microsatellite markers could then be made available for the study of landmarks in linkages, genomic structures, evolutionary ecology, and MAS in gherkin and Cucurbitaceae.

► We attempted to transfer 86 microsatellite markers derived from cucumber to gherkin.
► In two gherkin accession, PI 320052 and PI 364475, 58 and 55 markers were successfully amplified, respectively.
► Of the amplified markers, the polymorphism number between the two accessions was 40.
► These will be useful in the study of genetic relationships and maker assisted selection in gherkin.