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Genetic diversity of Gracilaria changii (Gracilariaceae, Rhodophyta) from west coast, Peninsular Malaysia based on mitochondrial cox1 gene analysis

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Abstract

Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) was employed to investigate the intraspecific genetic diversity of Gracilaria changii collected from various localities distributed along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Gracilaria changii is an agarophyte with potential for commercialization in Malaysia as it has high yields of good quality agar with high gel strength for the production of food grade agar and agarose. The phylogeographic aspect of G. changii has not been studied despite its abundance and potential commercialization. In this study, six mitochondrial haplotypes (C1–C6) were revealed from 62 specimens varying by 0–3 bp over 923 bp. Results indicate that haplotype C1 is the common ancestor and the most widespread haplotype due to its prevalence in Morib, Gua Tanah, Middle Banks, Batu Besar, Batu Tengah, Sungai Pulai, and Kuala Sungai Merbok. In this study, Morib was suggested as contributing the highest intra-population diversity with the identification of three haplotypes. The mitochondrial marker cox1 is a highly divergent mitochondrial marker and is applicable for studies on species identification and assessment of genetic diversity of G. changii.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) Grant: Molecular Systematics of Gracilariales and Genetic Diversity of Gracilaria changii (FP 044-2008A), University of Malaya Research Grant Scheme: Genetic Diversity of Gracilaria species (PS 136/2008A and PS 160/2009A), and Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) Grant: Checklist and Revision of Lower Plants of Malaysia (Marine Algae, no. 20300202030).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Yoon-Yen Yow, Phaik-Eem Lim & Siew-Moi Phang

  2. Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Yoon-Yen Yow, Phaik-Eem Lim & Siew-Moi Phang

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  1. Yoon-Yen Yow
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  2. Phaik-Eem Lim
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Correspondence to Phaik-Eem Lim.

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Paper presented at the 7th Asia Pacific Congress on Algal Biotechnology, New Delhi, 2009.

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Yow, YY., Lim, PE. & Phang, SM. Genetic diversity of Gracilaria changii (Gracilariaceae, Rhodophyta) from west coast, Peninsular Malaysia based on mitochondrial cox1 gene analysis. J Appl Phycol 23, 219–226 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-010-9535-5

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