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An epifluorescence microscopy method for direct detection and enumeration of the fungilike marine protists, the thraustochytrids
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.1993.38.1.0182
Subject(s) - enumeration , autofluorescence , fluorescence , fluorescence microscope , biology , phytoplankton , microscopy , algae , botany , ecology , quantum mechanics , nutrient , physics , mathematics , combinatorics , optics
An epifluorescence microscopy method using the fluorescent dye acriflavine is described for direct detection and enumeration of the fungilike protists, the thraustochytrids, in natural samples. The technique is based on the principles that the fluorochrome stains thraustochytrid cell walls containing sulfated polysaccharides red and the nucleus yellow‐green. Photosynthetic protists were distinguished by autofluorescence of pigments and protozoans by absence of cell‐wall fluorescence. Several natural phytoplankton samples from the North Sea were examined with this technique, where up to 5.4 × 10 6 cells of thraustochytrids were found per gram dry weight of sample. The results suggest that thraustochytrids might be much more abundant in natural samples than previously suspected.