The 5S rRNA genes in Alexandrium: their use as a FISH chromosomal marker in studies of the diversity, cell cycle and sexuality of dinoflagellates

Screen and Optimization of an Aptamer for Alexandrium tamarense-A Common Toxin-Producing Harmful Alga

Among all the paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs)-producing algae, Alexandrium tamarense is one of the most widespread harmful species posing a serious threat to marine resources and human health. Therefore, it is extremely important to establish a rapid and accurate monitoring method for A. tamarense that can provide early warnings of harmful algal blooms (HABs) caused by this alga and limit the contamination due to PSTs. In this study, an ssDNA library was first obtained by whole cell systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment after 18 consecutive rounds of iterative screening. After sequencing in combination with subsequent multiple alignment of sequences and secondary structure simulation, the library could be classified into 2 families, namely, Family1 and Family2, according to sequence similarity. Flow cytometry was used to test the affinity and cross-reactivity of Ata19, Ata6, Ata25 and Ata29 belonging to Family2. Ata19 was selected to be modified by truncation, through which a new resultant aptamer named as Ata19-1-1 was obtained. Ata19-1-1 with a KD of 75.16 ± 11.10 nM displayed a much higher affinity than Ata19. The specificity test showed that Ata19-1-1 has the same discrimination ability as Ata19 and can at least distinguish the target microalga from other microalgae. The observation under a fluorescence microscopy showed that the A. tamarense cells labeled with Ata19-1-1 are exhibiting bright green fluorescence and could be easily identified, factually confirming the binding of the aptamer with target cells. In summary, the aptamer Ata19-1-1 produced in this study may serve as an ideal molecular recognition element for A. tamarense, which has the potential to be developed into a novel detection method for this harmful alga in the future.

Contribution of the satellitome to the exceptionally large genome of dinoflagellates: The case of the harmful alga Alexandrium minutum

Dinoflagellates are known to possess an exceptionally large genome organized in permanently condensed chromosomes. Focusing on the contribution of satellite DNA (satDNA) to the whole DNA content of genomes and its potential role in the architecture of the chromosomes, we present the characterization of the satellitome of Alexandriun minutum strain VGO577. To achieve this, we analyzed Illumina reads using graph-based clustering and performed complementary bioinformatic analyses. In this way, we discovered 180 satDNAs occupying 17.38 % of the genome. The 12 most abundant satDNAs represent the half of the satellitome but no satDNA is overrepresented, with the most abundant contributing ∼1.56 % of the genome. The largest repeat unit is 517 bp long but more than the half of the satDNAs (101) have repeat units shorter than 20 bp. We used FISH to map a selected set of 26 satDNAs. Although some satDNAs generate discrete hybridization signals at specific chromosomal locations (hybridization sites, HS), our cytological analysis showed that most satDNAs are dispersed throughout the genome, probably forming short arrays. Two satDNAs co-localize with the 45S rDNA. With the exception of telomeric DNA, no other satDNA yields HS on all chromosomes. In addition, we analyzed nine satDNAs yielding HS in VGO577 in four other A. minutum strains. Polymorphism at the intraspecific level was found for the presence/absence and/or abundance of some satDNAs, suggesting the amplification/deletion of these satDNAs following geographic separation or during culture maintenance of the strains. We also discuss how these results contribute to the understanding of chromosome architecture and evolution of dinoflagellate genomes.

A set of sampling, preparation, and staining techniques for studying meiosis in cucumber

The development of genetic and genomic resources for biological studies in cucumber has experienced an unprecedented boom in recent years. To investigate the function of putative meiotic genes and germplasm in breeding programs, an accurate cytogenetic characterization is required. Cytological methods and reference to investigate meiosis in cucumber are limited at present. Here we provide a set of cytological techniques that have been adapted for the study of meiosis in cucumber. The meiotic stages can be identified with high precision using hierarchical criteria from developing buds, undisturbed meiocytes, and freshly stained chromosomes. A meiotic cytological atlas of all stages is presented as a reference for identifying particular stages and for comparison of meiosis between normal and mutant plants. We performed a comparative analysis of the distribution of cytoplasmic organelles between cucumber and Arabidopsis, and we described a highly nonsynchronous condensation of chromosome parts during diplotene. A simplified fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) protocol, using robustly spread chromosomes, were developed. In addition, we designed a single oligonucleotide probe for 5S rDNA to use in karyotyping and monitoring of homologous chromosome pairing, which will make FISH analysis of 5S rDNA easier and more economical.

5S Ribosomal DNA of Genus Solanum: Molecular Organization, Evolution, and Taxonomy

The Solanum genus, being one of the largest among high plants, is distributed worldwide and comprises about 1,200 species. The genus includes numerous agronomically important species such as Solanum tuberosum (potato), Solanum lycopersicum (tomato), and Solanum melongena (eggplant) as well as medical and ornamental plants. The huge Solanum genus is a convenient model for research in the field of molecular evolution and structural and functional genomics. Clear knowledge of evolutionary relationships in the Solanum genus is required to increase the effectiveness of breeding programs, but the phylogeny of the genus is still not fully understood. The rapidly evolving intergenic spacer region (IGS) of 5S rDNA has been successfully used for inferring interspecific relationships in several groups of angiosperms. Here, combining cloning and sequencing with bioinformatic analysis of genomic data available in the SRA database, we evaluate the molecular organization and diversity of IGS for 184 accessions, representing 137 species of the Solanum genus. It was found that the main mechanisms of IGS molecular evolution was step-wise accumulation of single base substitution or short indels, and that long indels and multiple base substitutions, which arose repeatedly during evolution, were mostly not conserved and eliminated. The reason for this negative selection seems to be association between indels/multiple base substitutions and pseudogenization of 5S rDNA. Comparison of IGS sequences allowed us to reconstruct the phylogeny of the Solanum genus. The obtained dendrograms are mainly congruent with published data: same major and minor clades were found. However, relationships between these clades and position of some species (S. cochoae, S. clivorum, S. macrocarpon, and S. spirale) were different from those of previous results and require further clarification. Our results show that 5S IGS represents a convenient molecular marker for phylogenetic studies on the Solanum genus. In particular, the simultaneous presence of several structural variants of rDNA in the genome enables the detection of reticular evolution, especially in the largest and economically most important sect. Petota. The origin of several polyploid species should be reconsidered.

A review of the current and emerging detection methods of marine harmful microalgae

In recent years, the scale and frequency of outbreaks of harmful algal blooms (HABs) have increased year by year due to the intensification of seawater eutrophication and global climate change. HABs have become a global marine ecological and environmental problem, which poses a serious threat to human health, marine ecological security, and economic development. The establishment of detection technology for harmful microalgae is fundamental to the early warning and prevention of HABs. To date, several detection methods have been developed for harmful microalgae, they however lack a unified classification standard. It is difficult to use a reasonable mix of all the developed methods to improve the accuracy of detection results. Here, all of the established detection methods for harmful microalgae were reviewed, including morphological structure-based detection methods, cytochrome-based detection techniques, immunoassays, and nucleic acid-based detection methods. The principles, advantages, and weaknesses of these methods were highlighted. Their application in the detection of harmful microalgae was summarized. Overall, different detection methods are suitable for different purposes. Further development of more accurate, cost-effective, efficient, and rapid detection technology is required in the future. This review is expected to provide a reference for research related to the monitoring of marine environment, early warning of HABs, and the molecular identification of harmful microalgae.