Selection and development of representative simple sequence repeat primers and multiplex SSR sets for high throughput automated genotyping in maize

In the current study, 1900 maize simple sequence repeat (SSR) primers published in MaizeGDB were screened utilizing reference literature, 15 representative Chinese maize inbred lines and 15 Chinese maize hybrids from national regional testing. In total, 500 highly polymorphic primers were identified and used to construct a genetic map. 100 evenly distributed primers, 10 primers per chromosome, were further selected as a set of universal SSR core primers, recommended as preferred primers for general studies. These core primers were then redesigned and used to construct a high throughput multiplex PCR system based on a five-color fluorescence capillary detection system. We report here that two sets of ten-plex PCR combinations have been constructed, each consisting of 10 primers, with one primer per chromosome.