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Linda K Medlin

Publications and source records attributed to Linda K Medlin.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

The systematic position of the parasitoid marine dinoflagellate Paulsenella vonstoschii (Dinophyceae) inferred from nuclear-encoded small subunit ribosomal DNA.

Members of the genus Paulsenella Chatton are marine phagotrophic dinoflagellates that specifically attack marine diatoms. In this phylogenetic study, we show that Paulsenella groups with Amyloodinium ocellatum (Brown) Brown et Hovasse, Pfiesteria piscicida Steidinger et Burkholder (Dinophyceae), Pfiesteria shumwayae Glasgow et Burkholder, and the cryptoperidiniopsoids, all members of the order Peridiniales. In the phylogenetic tree, Paulsenella diverged after Amyloodinium ocellatum but prior to Pfiesteria and the cryptoperidiniopsoids. This suggests that Paulsenella also belongs to the order Peridiniales and its earlier description as gymnodinioid and athecate has to be revised.

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PubMed2005

Ribosomal DNA sequence variation among sympatric strains of the Cyclotella meneghiniana complex (Bacillariophyceae) reveals cryptic diversity.

Cyclotella meneghiniana Kützing is one of the most commonly found and intensively studied freshwater diatom species. However, it is considered taxonomically problematic because of its unusually wide ecological range and large frustule ultrastructural variation. As part of a study of morphological and genetic variation in this morphospecies, we surveyed nucleotide variation in the hypervariable D1/D2 regions of the 28S rDNA, in the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region (containing ITS1, the 5.8S rDNA and ITS2) and in the 18S rDNA in a collection of 20 sympatric strains. High genetic variability and strong indications of genetic structure among the Cyclotella meneghiniana strains were found. Representatives of four genetically distinct--apparently reproductively isolated--groups were revealed among them. The random distribution of ITS variation within these four groups indicated that the genetic structure in Cyclotella meneghiniana can probably be explained by the presence of cryptic sexual species rather than by the lack of allogamous sexual reproduction. The morphological features traditionally used for species identification in this group cannot distinguish these putative cryptic species.

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PubMed2005

Electrochemical detection of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium ostenfeldii with a DNA-biosensor.

The steady rise of observations of harmful or toxic algal blooms throughout the world in the past decades constitute a menace for coastal ecosystems and human interests. As a consequence, a number of programs have been launched to monitor the occurrence of harmful and toxic algae. However, the identification is currently done by microscopic examination, which requires a broad taxonomic knowledge, expensive equipment and is very time consuming. In order to facilitate the identification of toxic algae, an inexpensive and easy-to-handle DNA-biosensor has been adapted for the electrochemical detection of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium ostenfeldii. The detection of the toxic algae is based on a sandwich hybridisation, which is carried out on a disposable sensor chip. A set of two probes for the species-specific identification of A. ostenfeldii was developed. The specificity of the probes could be shown in dot-blot hybridisations and with the DNA-biosensor. The sensitivity of the DNA-biosensor was optimised with respect to hybridisation temperature and NaCl-concentration and a significant increase of the sensitivity of the DNA-biosensor could be obtained by a fragmentation of the rRNA prior to the hybridisation and by adding a helper oligonucleotide, which binds in close proximity to the probes to the hybridisation.

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PubMed2003

Pseudo-cryptic speciation in coccolithophores.

Coccolithophores are a group of calcifying unicellular algae that constitute a major fraction of oceanic primary productivity, play an important role in the global carbon cycle, and are key biostratigraphic marker fossils. Their taxonomy is primarily based on the morphology of the minute calcite plates, or coccoliths, covering the cell. These are diverse and include widespread fine scale variation, of which the biological/taxonomic significance is unknown. Do they represent phenotypic plasticity, genetic polymorphisms, or species-specific characters? Our research on five commonly occurring coccolithophores supports the hypothesis that such variation represents pseudocryptic speciation events, occurring between 0.3 and 12.9 million years ago from a molecular clock estimation. This finding suggests strong stabilizing selection acting on coccolithophorid phenotypes. Our results also provide strong support for the use of fine scale morphological characters of coccoliths in the fossil record to improve biostratigraphic resolution and paleoceanographic data retrieval.

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PubMed2003

The application of a molecular clock based on molecular sequences and the fossil record to explain biogeographic distributions within the Alexandrium tamarense "species complex" (Dinophyceae).

The cosmopolitan dinoflagellate genus Alexandrium, and especially the A. tamarense species complex, contain both toxic and nontoxic strains. An understanding of their evolution and paleogeography is a necessary precursor to unraveling the development and spread of toxic forms. The inclusion of more strains into the existing phylogenetic trees of the Alexandrium tamarense species complex from large subunit rDNA sequences has confirmed that geographic distribution is consistent with the molecular clades but not with the three morphologically defined species that constitute the complex. In addition, a new clade has been discovered, representing Mediterranean nontoxic strains. The dinoflagellates fossil record was used to calibrate a molecular clock: key dates used in this calibration are the origins of the Peridiniales (estimated at 190 MYA), Gonyaulacaceae (180 MYA), and Ceratiaceae (145 MYA). Based on the data set analyzed, the origin of the genus Alexandrium was estimated to be around late Cretaceous (77 MYA), with its earliest possible origination in the mid Cretaceous (119 MYA). The A. tamarense species complex potentially diverged around the early Neogene (23 MYA), with a possible first appearance in the late Paleogene (45 MYA). A paleobiogeographic scenario for Alexandrium is based on (1) the calculated possible ages of origination for the genus and its constituent groups; (2) paleogeographic events determined by plate movements, changing ocean configurations and currents, as well as climatic fluctuations; and (3) the present geographic distribution of the various clades of the Alexandrium tamarense species complex.

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PubMed2002

Design and testing of ITS probes for distinguishing Phaeocystis species.

Oligonucleotide probes provide rapid, easy identification of species difficult to identify by more traditional means, e.g. light microscopy. Phaeocystis is a difficult genus to identify as a unicell and thus presents a good candidate for probe development. Hybridisation using PCR products or cell lysates rather than whole cells as targets provides access to more highly variable regions of the genome, such as non-coding spacer regions of the ribosomal operon for detection of fine scale molecular variation not available in the coding regions. The ITS region is an excellent region of the genome to discriminate between Phaeocystis species. PCR amplified ITS-1 sequence from one Phaeocystis antarctica strain was labelled with digoxigenin and hybridised to total nucleic acids from 35 Phaeocystis strains, the prymnesiophyte Emiliania huxleyi, the diatom Cylindrotheca closterium, the rhodophyte Phycodrys austrogeorgia, the phaeophyte Desmarestia aculeata and the chlorophyte Acrosiphonia arcta. Strong signals were observed in all cold water species, i.e. Phaeocystis antarctica and Phaeocystis pouchetii, whereas other warm-water Phaeocystis spp. were not labelled or only weakly labelled with the ITS-1 probe. No hybridisations were observed in all other genera. A short oligonucleotide probe for all cold-water Phaeocystis spp. and for Phaeocystis pouchetii was designed from the ITS-1. Both probes were labelled with digoxigenin and tested in a dot blot analysis against PCR products from 23 Phaeocystis species. Only the two cold water species or Phaeocystis pouchetii were, respectively, labelled by their specific probe.

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