Molecular characterization of dunaliella salina and chlorella vulgaris fusant using 18SrDNA gene

Abstract

Protoplast fusion was found to be an efficient method in improving carotenoid production from fusant of carotenogenic microalgae D. salina and C. vulgaris. Molecular characterization is needed for identifying the dominant parental genome in the fusant using ribosomal DNA sequences. The research was carried out by analyzing the gene encodes for 18S rDNA of fusant and determining relationship of fusant with D. salina and C. vulgaris species from GenBank. Quantitative analysis showed that C. vulgaris was not remarkably dominant in fusant with 84 % similarity compare to D. salina with 82 % similarity. The result indicated that the fusant gained both character from their parents.