European Impatiens species differences at RAPD and ISSR loci

Abstract

Information concerning comparison of three widely spread European species of Impatiens along wider geographical areas is still missing. The present study is aimed at comparing genetic variability at RAPD and ISSR loci of Impatiens noli-tangere, I. parviflora, and I. glandulifera, covering a marked geographic area. Twenty four populations of these Impatiens (eight populations of each species) from two countries (Lithuania and Czech Republic) were examined. Eight randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and 5 inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers were chosen considering the lack of data on the general molecular characteristics of Impatiens. The highest genetic differentiation at RAPD loci (G_ST = 0.81) was characteristic of I. parviflora, and the highest genetic differentiation at ISSR loci (G_ST = 0.73) was documented for I. glandulifera. According to Nei’s genetic distances between two species populations, significant correlations were determined for I. noli-tangere and I. parviflora (r = 0.79; p < 0.05) and for I. parviflora and I. glandulifera (r = 0.76; p < 0.05) based on RAPD loci and for I. parviflora and I. glandulifera (r = 0.89; p < 0.05) based on ISSR loci. According to the mean values of polymorphism, genetic differentiation and Nei’s genetic distances between two species populations at RAPD loci, the closest were I. noli-tangere and I. parviflora, while at ISSR loci, the  most similar were invasive species, I.  parviflora and I.  glandulifera. UPGMA dendrograms revealed that the closest species were I. noli-tangere and I. parviflora by both RAPD and ISSR data. In conclusion, our study did not show unambiguous results about similarity between Impatiens species.