Characterization and Microsatellite Analysis of the clpP Gene in Cannabis Cultivars

Authors : Saber Delpasand Khabbazi

Pages : 320-325

Doi:10.33202/comuagri.1827474

View : 69 | Download : 155

Publication Date : 2025-12-24

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Cannabis is used for industrial, medicinal, and recreational purposes due to its fibers, seeds, and cannabinoids. As the need for identification of cannabis varieties increases, molecular markers have become important tools for distinguishing cultivars, studying evolution, and supporting forensic analyses. Microsatellites are highly variable, co-dominant DNA repeats found throughout plant genomes, including chloroplast DNA. Among chloroplast genes, clpP, which encodes a key subunit of the ATP-dependent clp protease, has been reported as a region rich in microsatellite variation. This study investigated the clpP gene in fifteen cannabis accessions representing different crop types and geographical backgrounds, with the aim of identifying microsatellite motifs useful as genetic markers. The gene consisted of three exons and two introns, with the exon regions completely conserved. All sequence differences, including SNPs and Indels, were located in the introns. Microsatellite analysis detected mono- and dinucleotide repeats mainly A, T, and TA motifs that differed in length and organization among cultivars. Some motifs are specific to certain genotypes, reflecting the geographical differences of the varieties. The microsatellite patterns identified in the clpP gene indicate that this region is informative for cannabis genetics and highlight the potential of clpP-based markers for use in breeding, phylogenetic studies, and forensic analyses.
Keywords : Kenevir, kloroplast DNA, genetik çeşitlilik, genetik belirteç, mikrosatellitler

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