Molecular Identification of the 18S rDNA for Chlorococcum Microalgae C. lacustre and C. macrostigmatum

• In Event: Poster Presentation and Judging for: Anthropology; Botany; Conservation Ecology; Environmental Science; Freshwater Science; Geosciences; Mathematics & Computer Science; Neuroscience; Physics & Eng; Science Education; Terrestrial Ecology & Management.
  In Poster Session: Botany Poster Session

Abstract

In the past, species of algae have been classified based on morphological characteristics. Due to the progression of scientific technology and methods, an extensive knowledge of molecular components is necessary to reveal true variation among species. In this study, the 18S rDNA was examined for microalgae C. lacustre and C. macrostigmatum. The 18S rDNA gene provides a reliable biomarker for species identification because ribosomal DNA genes are slow evolving and cannot undergo huge amounts of diversity. Genomic DNA was extracted from strains of axenic samples of C. lacustre and C. macrostigmatum algae using the DNeasy® Plant Mini Kit. The level of purity was ascertained using NanoDrop™. A standard PCR was performed using Lymnaea sp. 18S rDNA sequencing primers and a primer pair based on the 5’-conserved domain region of 18S rDNA. Gel electrophoresis of PCR products produced DNA bands and were purified with the QIAquick™ Gel Extraction Kit and sequenced. Contigs were generated using CAP 3. The generated contigs and initial sequences were aligned with BLAST®. A multiple alignment of our contig sequences for the 18S rDNA gene of C. citriforme and C. microstigmatum were compared with recently published sequences of the complete 18S rDNA gene of similar organisms. This method successfully generated complete sequences for the 18S rDNA for both algae under investigation. The processes demonstrated in this study can be utilized to complete the 18S rDNA sequences of other species of Chlorococcum algae. 

Authors

• Joanne Elise Thomson, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor

• Kathleen Wood, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor