Beneath the Aegean Sun: Investigating <i>Dunaliella</i> Strains’ Diversity from Greek Saltworks
The genus <i>Dunaliella</i> belongs to the division Chlorophyta and is known for its ability to survive in highly saline environments. <i>Dunaliella</i> is an important source of carotenoids, especially beta-carotene and has a wide range of applications. In this study, we aim...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/6/1037 |
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| author | Urania Lortou Manthos Panou Georgia Papapanagiotou Georgia Florokapi Christos Giannakopoulos Savvas Kavoukis Georgios Iakovou Giorgos Zalidis Konstantinos Triantafyllidis Spyros Gkelis |
| author_facet | Urania Lortou Manthos Panou Georgia Papapanagiotou Georgia Florokapi Christos Giannakopoulos Savvas Kavoukis Georgios Iakovou Giorgos Zalidis Konstantinos Triantafyllidis Spyros Gkelis |
| author_sort | Urania Lortou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The genus <i>Dunaliella</i> belongs to the division Chlorophyta and is known for its ability to survive in highly saline environments. <i>Dunaliella</i> is an important source of carotenoids, especially beta-carotene and has a wide range of applications. In this study, we aimed to isolate and identify <i>Dunaliella</i> strains from active and abandoned saltworks in Greece. Four seasonal samplings were carried out in seven active saltworks and two samplings were performed in an abandoned saltwork throughout the year 2020. Strains were characterized based on their morphological and phylogenetic traits, whilst their beta-carotene potential were evaluated. Fifteen (15) <i>Dunaliella</i> strains were isolated and classified into nine species based on morphological and morphometrical features. The isolated strains were assigned to different species such as <i>D. parva</i>, <i>D. granulata</i>, <i>D. minuta</i>, <i>D. terricola</i>, <i>D. asymmetrica</i>, <i>D. bioculata</i>, <i>D. viridis</i>, <i>D. minutissima</i>, and <i>D. polymorpha</i>. The results of the phylogenetic analysis indicate the formation of distinct clades among different <i>Dunaliella</i> species and suggest that morphological and morphometrical features may not always align with the phylogenetic position of species in the <i>Dunaliella</i> clade. Strains were found to produce a low amount of beta-carotene under default laboratory conditions. This study comprises the first phylogenetic inference of several <i>Dunaliella</i> species and highlights a gap on molecular data for <i>Dunaliella</i> spp. We provide valuable information on the diversity of <i>Dunaliella</i> strains in the saltworks of Greece, which can be used for further research and biotechnological applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:45:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1e4660f9ceea464fb499329ace42114d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:45:29Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-1e4660f9ceea464fb499329ace42114d2023-11-17T14:25:32ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412023-03-01156103710.3390/w15061037Beneath the Aegean Sun: Investigating <i>Dunaliella</i> Strains’ Diversity from Greek SaltworksUrania Lortou0Manthos Panou1Georgia Papapanagiotou2Georgia Florokapi3Christos Giannakopoulos4Savvas Kavoukis5Georgios Iakovou6Giorgos Zalidis7Konstantinos Triantafyllidis8Spyros Gkelis9School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, GreeceSchool of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, GreeceSchool of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, GreeceSchool of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, GreeceSchool of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, GreeceSchool of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, GreeceSchool of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, GreeceThe genus <i>Dunaliella</i> belongs to the division Chlorophyta and is known for its ability to survive in highly saline environments. <i>Dunaliella</i> is an important source of carotenoids, especially beta-carotene and has a wide range of applications. In this study, we aimed to isolate and identify <i>Dunaliella</i> strains from active and abandoned saltworks in Greece. Four seasonal samplings were carried out in seven active saltworks and two samplings were performed in an abandoned saltwork throughout the year 2020. Strains were characterized based on their morphological and phylogenetic traits, whilst their beta-carotene potential were evaluated. Fifteen (15) <i>Dunaliella</i> strains were isolated and classified into nine species based on morphological and morphometrical features. The isolated strains were assigned to different species such as <i>D. parva</i>, <i>D. granulata</i>, <i>D. minuta</i>, <i>D. terricola</i>, <i>D. asymmetrica</i>, <i>D. bioculata</i>, <i>D. viridis</i>, <i>D. minutissima</i>, and <i>D. polymorpha</i>. The results of the phylogenetic analysis indicate the formation of distinct clades among different <i>Dunaliella</i> species and suggest that morphological and morphometrical features may not always align with the phylogenetic position of species in the <i>Dunaliella</i> clade. Strains were found to produce a low amount of beta-carotene under default laboratory conditions. This study comprises the first phylogenetic inference of several <i>Dunaliella</i> species and highlights a gap on molecular data for <i>Dunaliella</i> spp. We provide valuable information on the diversity of <i>Dunaliella</i> strains in the saltworks of Greece, which can be used for further research and biotechnological applications.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/6/1037Chlorophytagreen algaemorphologyphylogeny18S rRNA<i>rbcL</i> |
| spellingShingle | Urania Lortou Manthos Panou Georgia Papapanagiotou Georgia Florokapi Christos Giannakopoulos Savvas Kavoukis Georgios Iakovou Giorgos Zalidis Konstantinos Triantafyllidis Spyros Gkelis Beneath the Aegean Sun: Investigating <i>Dunaliella</i> Strains’ Diversity from Greek Saltworks Water Chlorophyta green algae morphology phylogeny 18S rRNA <i>rbcL</i> |
| title | Beneath the Aegean Sun: Investigating <i>Dunaliella</i> Strains’ Diversity from Greek Saltworks |
| title_full | Beneath the Aegean Sun: Investigating <i>Dunaliella</i> Strains’ Diversity from Greek Saltworks |
| title_fullStr | Beneath the Aegean Sun: Investigating <i>Dunaliella</i> Strains’ Diversity from Greek Saltworks |
| title_full_unstemmed | Beneath the Aegean Sun: Investigating <i>Dunaliella</i> Strains’ Diversity from Greek Saltworks |
| title_short | Beneath the Aegean Sun: Investigating <i>Dunaliella</i> Strains’ Diversity from Greek Saltworks |
| title_sort | beneath the aegean sun investigating i dunaliella i strains diversity from greek saltworks |
| topic | Chlorophyta green algae morphology phylogeny 18S rRNA <i>rbcL</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/6/1037 |
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