Perfect and Imperfect Microsatellite Markers in Determination of Genetic Status of Greater Adjutant Stork (Leptoptilos dubius Gmelin)

The Greater Adjutant Stork (Leptoptilos dubius), the most endangered stork (IUCN Red List criteria under A2bcd+3bcd+4bcd; C2a) losing its number by population has been confined in a small village named Dadra- Pacharia- Singimari in the district of Kamrup, Assam, India. An attempt was made to study the status of genetic variability in Greater Adjutant Stork revealed that though the Greater Adjutant Stork population is highly threatened, yet the group has been appeared as genetically stable as recorded from that of the observed heterozygosity. Therefore, it is of importance to study the distribution enrichment and polymorphism of microsatellites in the genome of the Greater Adjutant Stork. Five microsatellite markers of cross species- specific markers were deployed in this study. All the five microsatellite markers were recorded to be polymorphic with the number of alleles varying between 2 to 9 across all loci used. The locus Ah341 was observed to have 2 alleles whilst the locus Cc07 was with 9 alleles. The heterozygosity of L. dubius was observed to be high for the microsatellite markers used, with mean observed heterozygosity (Ho ) of 0.752±0.09 and mean expected heterozygosity (He ) was with 0.677±0.06. The overall mean expected heterozygosity was found to be marginally higher than the observed heterozygosity. The polymorphic interaction count (PIC) was calculated at 0.569±0.03. Iteration value in the consensus sequence recorded for dinucleotide (TG) was dominating at 20 followed by mononucleotide (A) at 12, while the percent (%) of Imperfect iteration stood at the highest of 14.8%. Thus, the result of this investigation has extended a clear genetic polymorphism in favour of the Greater Adjutant stork, perhaps yet to face any genetic threat