Capillary Electrophoresis Single-Strand Conformational Polymorphisms as a Method to Differentiate Algal Species.

Alice Jernigan,Christa Hestekin

doi:10.1155/2015/272964

Alice Jernigan, Christa Hestekin

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/272964

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Abstract

Capillary electrophoresis single-strand conformational polymorphism (CE-SSCP) was explored as a fast and inexpensive method to differentiate both prokaryotic (blue-green) and eukaryotic (green and brown) algae. A selection of two blue-green algae (Nostoc muscorum and Anabaena inaequalis), five green algae (Chlorella vulgaris, Oedogonium foveolatum, Mougeotia sp., Scenedesmus quadricauda, and Ulothrix fimbriata), and one brown algae (Ectocarpus sp.) were examined and CE-SSCP electropherogram “fingerprints” were compared to each other for two variable regions of either the 16S or 18S rDNA gene. The electropherogram patterns were remarkably stable and consistent for each particular species. The patterns were unique to each species, although some common features were observed between the different types of algae. CE-SSCP could be a useful method for monitoring changes in an algae species over time as potential shifts in species occurred.

Highlights

The two most frequently used traditional methods for taxonomic identification of algae beyond the genus level are by microscopic examination and genotyping [1,2,3,4,5]
For each type of algae, two different variable regions were analyzed by Capillary electrophoresis single-strand conformational polymorphism (CE-SSCP)
Since multiple peaks were detected over a significant range of migrations times, the electropherograms were split into two different graphs

Summary

Introduction

The two most frequently used traditional methods for taxonomic identification of algae beyond the genus level are by microscopic examination and genotyping [1,2,3,4,5]. To go beyond the genus level to species or substrains of a species can require a scanning electron microscope (SEM) or other more complicated tests and techniques such as in the case of diatoms [7]. Genotyping requires primers that can isolate and amplify a portion of the genome of the species of interest, typically the 16S rDNA gene [8,9,10] for prokaryotic algae (cyanobacteria or blue-green algae) and the 18S rDNA gene [11] for eukaryotic algae These genes are both highly conserved among algae but have regions of variability that can be used for species identification [2, 11,12,13]. The sequence of these regions can be compared to known sequences and the most likely species matching sequence can be determined

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Results

Conclusion