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Development of a real-time PCR assay (SYBR Green I) for rapid identification and quantification of scyphomedusae Aurelia sp.1 planulae

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Abstract

The complicated life cycle of Aurelia spp., comprising benthic asexually-reproducing polyps and sexually-reproducing medusae, makes it hard for researchers to identify and track them, especially for early stage individuals, such as planulae. To solve this problem, we developed a real-time PCR assay (SYBR Green I) to identify planulae in both cultured and natural seawater samples. Species-specific primers targeting Aurelia sp.1 mitochondrial 16S rDNA (mt 16S rDNA) regions were designed. Using a calibration curve constructed with plasmids containing the Aurelia sp.1 mt 16S rDNA fragment and a standard curve for planulae, the absolute number of mt 16S rDNA copies per planula was determined and from that the total number of planulae per sample was estimated. For the field samples, a 100-fold dilution of the sample DNA combined with a final concentration of 0.2 μg/μL BSA in the PCR reaction mixture was used to remove real-time PCR inhibitors. Samples collected in Jiaozhou Bay from July to September 2012 were subsequently analyzed using this assay. Peak Aurelia sp.1 planula abundance occurred in July 2012 at stations near Hongdao Island and Qingdao offshore; abundances were very low in August and September. The real-time PCR assay (SYBR Green I) developed here negates the need for traditional microscopic identification, which is laborious and time-consuming, and can detect and quantify jellyfish planulae in field plankton samples rapidly and specifically.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China

    Jianyan Wang  (王建艳) & Guoshan Wang  (王国善)

  2. College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China

    Yu Zhen  (甄毓) & Tiezhu Mi  (米铁柱)

  3. Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China

    Yu Zhen  (甄毓) & Tiezhu Mi  (米铁柱)

  4. College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China

    Zhigang Yu  (于志刚)

  5. Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China

    Zhigang Yu  (于志刚)

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  1. Jianyan Wang  (王建艳)
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  2. Yu Zhen  (甄毓)
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  3. Tiezhu Mi  (米铁柱)
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Correspondence to Yu Zhen  (甄毓).

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Supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (No. 2011CB403602), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41076085), and the National Special Research Fund for Non-Profit Marine Sector (No. 201205031)

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Wang, J., Zhen, Y., Mi, T. et al. Development of a real-time PCR assay (SYBR Green I) for rapid identification and quantification of scyphomedusae Aurelia sp.1 planulae. Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol. 33, 974–987 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-015-4091-0

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