Development of 14 Microsatellite Markers for Zoonotic Tapeworm Dibothriocephalus dendriticus (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidea)

Abstract

Dibothriocephalus dendriticus is one of the causative agents of the fish-borne zoonosis diphyllobothriosis. Polymorphic microsatellite markers were originally developed for future genetic studies using microsatellite library screening and next-generation sequencing (NGS). Out of 128 microsatellite candidates selected after NGS analysis, 126 yielded PCR products of the expected size. A declared repetitive motif was confirmed in 92 loci by Sanger sequencing. The level of polymorphism was tested by fragment analysis. Statistical tests for observed and expected heterozygosities and deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium revealed 14 polymorphic microsatellite loci suitable for studies on the finer genetic structure of global populations of D. dendriticus.