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Comparison of DNAs of Crypthecodinium cohnii ‐like Dinoflagellates from Widespread Geographic Locations *
Author(s) -
STEELE ROBERT E.,
RAE PETER M. M.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
the journal of protozoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 0022-3921
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1980.tb05403.x
Subject(s) - biology , restriction enzyme , dinoflagellate , dna , ribosomal rna , rna , buoyant density , gene , endonuclease , strain (injury) , cleavage (geology) , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology , botany , paleontology , anatomy , fracture (geology)
SYNOPSIS. We have examined various properties of DNAs from 7 dinoflagellate isolates of wide geographic distribution; all of the isolates are superficially indistinguishable from a laboratory strain of Crypthecodinium cohnii originally isolated at Woods Hole, Massachusetts (WHd strain). Two isolates, one from Puerto Rico and the other from Honduras, are clearly distinguishable from WHd and the other isolates by their DNA buoyant density values. WHd and the other 5 isolates we have examined are indistinguishable from one another in terms of DNA buoyant densities and melting temperatures. The relationship among the various isolates, including WHd, were evaluated at a finer level through restriction endonuclease cleavage and molecular hybridization to compare ribosomal RNA gene structure in the several DNAs. All the isolates could be further categorized by this method, the patterns of restriction endonuclease cleavage of ribosomal RNA genes in the isolates paralleling exactly their sexual compatibilities established from breeding experiments by Beam & Himes. The DNAs were also treated with a restriction endonuclease sensitive to the presence of the modified base 5‐methylcytosine. In all isolates, cytosine residues in both total DNA and DNA specifically containing the ribosomal RNA genes were found to be extensively methylated, as was previously shown for the WHd strain.