Eukarya 18S rRNA gene diversity in the sea surface microlayer: implications for the structure of the neustonic microbial loop.
We have previously shown that there is a consistent and reproducible bacterioneuston community in the surface microlayer during a fjord mesocosm experiment. One possible cause of the surface microlayer-specific bacterial community is a surface microlayer-specific protist community selectively grazing on the bacterioneuston. We determined protist community structures using Eukarya 18S rRNA gene denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and subsequent DGGE band sequencing using DNA samples that were collected from the surface microlayer and subsurface water of the mesocosms. As with bacterial communities, protist community structure was consistently different in the surface microlayer when compared with subsurface water. In particular, the protist community in the surface microlayer was dominated by Cercozoa, which were not detected in the subsurface water, and Ciliophora.
Cunliffe
Michael
M
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
Murrell
J Colin
JC
D000818:Animals; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009691:Nucleic Acid Denaturation; D010802:Phylogeny; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S