Identification of Microplankton in South China Sea with Image-Matching Individual PCR

Abstract

In this study, marine microplankton were identified by combining standard light microscopy with Sanger 18S rRNA gene sequencing. The image-matching individual PCR technique was applied to identify the image collectable unicellular microplankton to genera. Instead of pure strain culture and morphological identification, microplankton individual cells were isolated and fixed with glutaraldehyde, frozen and stored for months. Finally, they were imaged under a microscope and molecularly identified via phylogenetic analysis of their 18S ribosomal RNA gene (18S rDNA). Microplankton cells were collected at 30 locations in South China Sea, and were assigned to 21 known and 4 unidentified genera (2 uncultured fungi and 2 uncultured stramenopiles) with phylogenetic analysis in parallel to the morphological identification.