Molecular Detection of a Potentially Toxic Diatom Species

Bidhan Chandra Dhar, Lucia Cimarelli, Kumar Saurabh Singh, Letizia Brandi, Anna Brandi, Camilla Puccinelli, Stefania Marcheggiani and Roberto Spurio
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Bidhan Chandra Dhar: Laboratory of Genetics, School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino 62032, Italy
Lucia Cimarelli: Laboratory of Genetics, School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino 62032, Italy
Kumar Saurabh Singh: Laboratory of Genetics, School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino 62032, Italy
Letizia Brandi: Laboratory of Genetics, School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino 62032, Italy
Anna Brandi: Laboratory of Genetics, School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino 62032, Italy
Camilla Puccinelli: Environmental, Quality and Fishfarm Unit, Environment & Primary Prevention Department, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, Rome 299, Italy
Stefania Marcheggiani: Environmental, Quality and Fishfarm Unit, Environment & Primary Prevention Department, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, Rome 299, Italy
Roberto Spurio: Laboratory of Genetics, School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino 62032, Italy

IJERPH, 2015, vol. 12, issue 5, 1-21

Abstract: A few diatom species produce toxins that affect human and animal health. Among these, members of the Pseudo-nitzschia genus were the first diatoms unambiguously identified as producer of domoic acid, a neurotoxin affecting molluscan shell-fish, birds, marine mammals, and humans. Evidence exists indicating the involvement of another diatom genus, Amphora, as a potential producer of domoic acid. We present a strategy for the detection of the diatom species Amphora coffeaeformis based on the development of species-specific oligonucleotide probes and their application in microarray hybridization experiments. This approach is based on the use of two marker genes highly conserved in all diatoms, but endowed with sufficient genetic divergence to discriminate diatoms at the species level. A region of approximately 450 bp of these previously unexplored marker genes, coding for elongation factor 1-a (eEF1-a) and silicic acid transporter ( SIT ), was used to design oligonucleotide probes that were tested for specificity in combination with the corresponding fluorescently labeled DNA targets. The results presented in this work suggest a possible use of this DNA chip technology for the selective detection of A. coffeaeformis in environmental settings where the presence of this potential toxin producer may represent a threat to human and animal health. In addition, the same basic approach can be adapted to a wider range of diatoms for the simultaneous detection of microorganisms used as biomarkers of different water quality levels.

Keywords: diatoms; domoic acid; oligonucleotide probes; microarrays (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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