Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

Title

Ecological, Morphological, and Toxicological Analysis of an Unusual Dinoflagellate, Amphidinium massartii

Event Name/Location

12th International Conference on Harmful Algae, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 4-8, 2006

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

9-2006

Abstract

Amphidinium carterae, an important harmful algal species that produces powerful antifungal and hemolytic compounds, amphidinols, and cytotoxic macrolides, amphidinolides, is ubiquitous in coastal waters (Satake et al. 1991, Ishibashi and Kobayashi 1997). Samples observed from coral rubble contained an Amphidinium sp. with the unusual morphology of completely circular cells. Preliminary genetic analysis by sequencing of LSU and SSU rDNA regions revealed a close relationship between the unknown Amphidinium sp. and A. massartii. The unusual circular morphology of A. massartii has not been reported in previous literature. An examination of this morphology under temperature and nutrient regimes is conducted. Even though it is considered a toxic algae species, little information beyond the description exists for A. massartii. Amphidinium massartii’s genetic proximity to A. carterae is cause for interest in the production of bioactive compounds. Two assays used in the toxin detection of A. carterae, a hemolytic assay and antifungal bioassay, offer good measurements of relative toxicity (Echigoya et al. 2005). This unusual species of Amphidinium is examined for its ecological, morphological, and toxicological properties.

ORCID ID

0000-0003-3556-7616

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