Genetic diversity and molecular phylogeny of cyanobacteria from Sri Lanka based on 16S rRNA gene

Abstract

The diversity of cyanobacteria in Sri Lanka was studied in different water reservoirs, paddy fields, brackish water and tsunami affected areas using light microcopy, 16S rRNA sequences, followed by phylogenetic analysis. Based on light microscopy, 24 genera were identified from environmental samples belonging to the orders Chroococcales, Oscillatoriales, Pleurocapsales and Nostocales. In cultures, 33 genera were identified from all five cyanobacterial orders, including Stigonematales. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and their morphology, two isolates were identified up to species level, 72 to genus level, one isolate up to family and 11 up to order level. Twelve isolates couldn’t be assigned to any taxonomic level. The results of 16S rRNA gene sequences along with the phylogenetic analysis indicated that some cyanobacterial isolates could be accommodated to genus or order level. The 16S rRNA sequence analysis data in this study confirmed that order Nostocales and order Pleurocapsales cyanobacteria are monophyletic while orders Chroococcales, Oscillatoriales and Stigonematales cyanobacteria are polyphyletic. Polyphasic approach including the combination of light microscopy, cultures and the analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences provide a promising approach to ascertain the diversity of cyanobacteria in different habitats.