Bacterial communities associated with toxic and non-toxic marine dinoflagellates

Abstract

Association between bacteria and marine dinoflagellates is one of the important factors in harmful algae bloom formation and toxin production by dinoflagellates. The diversity of the bacteria associated with clonal cultures of both toxic and non toxic dinoflagellates, Alexandrium tamiyavanichii and Alexandrium leei were assessed by using culture dependent and culture independent approaches. In culturedependent approach, bacteria were isolated on appropiate culture media and later identified based on 16S rDNA sequences. In culture-independent approach metagenome was extracted directly from the cultures of dinoflagellates.