Open AccessPhylogenetic analysis of selected toxic and non‐toxic bacterial strains isolated from the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense
Author(s) -
Kopp Martina,
Doucette Gregory J,
Kodama Masaaki,
Gerdts Gunnar,
Schütt Christian,
Medlin Linda K
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.1997.tb00442.x
Subject(s) - alexandrium tamarense , biology , dinoflagellate , microbiology and biotechnology , proteobacteria , ribosomal rna , bacteria , moraxella , paralytic shellfish poisoning , algae , 16s ribosomal rna , botany , algal bloom , shellfish , ecology , genetics , phytoplankton , gene , aquatic animal , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , nutrient
Recent evidence has implicated bacterial involvement in the production of paralytic shellfish poison toxins, which are normally associated with bloom‐forming algal species, specifically toxic dinoflagellate algae. Preliminary reports of the identification of toxin‐producing bacteria isolated from the toxic marine dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense suggested that they belonged to the gamma sub‐division of the Proteobacteria, specifically related to the bacterium Moraxella . Digoxigenin‐labelled alpha, beta and gamma ribosomal rRNA probes, hybridized to both toxigenic and non‐toxigenic bacteria isolated from several strains of Alexandrium tamarense , indicated that the bacteria belonged to the alpha sub‐division of the Proteobacteria. Phylogenetic analysis of small subunit ribosomal RNA coding regions confirmed this and provided strong evidence that these bacteria are likely to represent a new genus in that group.