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High-resolution melting analysis for identification of microalgae species

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Abstract

There is great microalgae biodiversity and their rediscovery as an inexhaustible source of biotechnological resources for all types of applications is leading to the already demonstrated benefits of their bioactive compounds which has boosted their industrial development. For this development, it is essential to have available technologies to easily control large-scale cultures. In this study, a high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis was developed to identify different microalgae that are currently used by the industry. HRM analysis is a simple, economical, fast, and reproducible method that allows the use of a stable molecule such as DNA to track a culture day by day without the need for visual microscopic controls. Ten microalgae were characterized by qPCR-HRM analysis: Isochrysis galbana, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Muriellopsis sp., Porphyridium cruentum, Botryococcus braunii, Nannochloropsis gaditana, Chlorella sorokiniana, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Haematococcus pluvialis, and Scenedesmus obliquus. We determined that through the use of primers designed specifically for the 18S rDNA ribosomal gene, it is possible to significantly discriminate among the ten strains simultaneously by using HRM analysis. The results are also replicable over time, facilitating the daily and low-cost control of species used in the biotechnology industry.

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Acknowledgments

Thanks are due to the “Internal Funds Program of the Vice-Rectory for Research, Innovation and Postgraduate from the University of Antofagasta” and to the “Fund for the Development in Research and/or Technology on Undergraduate Degree Activities” year 2016 at the University of Antofagasta.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Ambiental Aplicada, Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Avda. Angamos, 601, Antofagasta, Chile

    Daniela Rojo, Manuel Zapata, Alejandro Maureira & Mariella Rivas

  2. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales Alexander von Humbolt, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile

    Ricardo Guiñez

  3. Departmento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de la Salud, Universidad de Antofagasta, Avda. Angamos, 601, Antofagasta, Chile

    Cristian Wulff-Zottele

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  1. Daniela Rojo
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  2. Manuel Zapata
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  3. Alejandro Maureira
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  4. Ricardo Guiñez
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  5. Cristian Wulff-Zottele
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  6. Mariella Rivas
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All authors contributed equally to the manuscript preparation. All authors approved the manuscript final version.

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Correspondence to Mariella Rivas.

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Rojo, D., Zapata, M., Maureira, A. et al. High-resolution melting analysis for identification of microalgae species. J Appl Phycol 32, 3901–3911 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-020-02240-y

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