Abstract
The sequence of the ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) plays an important role in species identification and phylogenetic analysis. However, the only published full-length sequence of a ribosomal gene of green algae is that of Ulva mutabilis. In this study, we amplified the full-length sequence of each ribosomal gene unit of the ribosomal gene of Blidingia minima. The full-length sequence of the ribosomal gene in Blidingia minima is 8676 bp, including the 1759 bp 18S rDNA, 576 bp internal transcribed spacer (ITS) + 5.8S rDNA, 3282 bp 28S rDNA, and 3059 bp intergenic spacer (IGS) region. We then carried out a series of genetic analyses based on the ITS and IGS sequences, to verify whether IGS sequences are useful for studying the genetic diversity of green algae from different locations. We amplified the IGS sequences of Blidingia minima from 10 different locations in the Yellow Sea. Multiple alignments of the IGS sequences of samples from these 10 different sites revealed varying degrees of base differences, and comparative analysis of the ITS sequences revealed that our amplified species was classified as Blidingia minima and distinct from other green algae. In conclusion, our full-length amplified ribosomal gene provides useful information to enrich the data on green algae ribosomal genes and provides an effective molecular marker for the analysis of the interspecies and intraspecies relationships of Blidingia minima.
Highlights
From 2007 to 2018, large-scale green tide events occurred every year in the Yellow Sea of China
We carried out a series of genetic analyses based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and intergenic spacer (IGS) sequences, to verify whether IGS sequences are useful for studying the genetic diversity of green algae from different locations
The 18S rDNA was amplified with two pairs of primers (Figure 4(a)), and sequencing and splicing results indicated that the 18S rDNA sequence of Blidingia minima was 1759 bp in length
Summary
From 2007 to 2018, large-scale green tide events occurred every year in the Yellow Sea of China. The world’s largest green tide events were mainly caused by Ulva prolifera O. There was molecular evidence that the species attached on the raft in Jiangsu Province and the species that caused the green tide were the same [3]. In addition to U. prolifera, a variety of other green algae were identified on the Pyropia farming raft. Another of the fixed green algae species growing on the Pyropia farming rafts throughout the year is a Blidingia species with extensive biomass (Figure 1). The growth of large quantities of green algae on the Pyropia farming raft, especially Ulva prolifera and Blidingia minima, causes large economic losses to the aquaculture industries in China. Our amplified ribosomal gene cluster can provide some molecular information for subsequent research
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
