Kryptoperidinium foliaceum blooms in South Carolina: a multi-analytical approach to identification

The Life History and Cell Cycle of Kryptoperidinium foliaceum, A Dinoflagellate with Two Eukaryotic Nuclei

“…These authors found that K. foliaceum may actually comprise two different but similar species, since two morphologically and genetically distinct groups were identified. Although we were not able to confirm the original description of Paulsen, the peculiar 7 00 was not included in previous descriptions of the species (Biecheler 1952;Lebour 1925;Lindemann 1924) and it was not until recently that plates of different strains were photographically described (Kempton et al 2002). Our strains are similar to strains CCAP 1116/3 and CSIRO 291, based on figure 1C and D in Kempton et al (2002), but different from UTEX LB 1688, CCMP 1326 and their South Carolina isolates, as shown in figure 1A and B, and E, in that report.…”

“…Although we were not able to confirm the original description of Paulsen, the peculiar 7 00 was not included in previous descriptions of the species (Biecheler 1952;Lebour 1925;Lindemann 1924) and it was not until recently that plates of different strains were photographically described (Kempton et al 2002). Our strains are similar to strains CCAP 1116/3 and CSIRO 291, based on figure 1C and D in Kempton et al (2002), but different from UTEX LB 1688, CCMP 1326 and their South Carolina isolates, as shown in figure 1A and B, and E, in that report. Although the strains of this group were all binucleated, strains with or without an endosymbiont nucleus were described in the other group, formed by UTEX LB 1688 and CCMP 1326 and the South Carolina and Florida isolates (Kempton et al 2002).…”

“…A variable endosymbiont DNA content among different strains was reported by Kempton et al (2002). These authors found that K. foliaceum may actually comprise two different but similar species, since two morphologically and genetically distinct groups were identified.…”

“…In some genera, such as Karenia, Alexandrium, and Karlodinium, chloroplast genes have been permanently transferred to the host nucleus (Hackett et al 2004;Ishida and Green 2002;Patron et al 2006). In Durinskia and Kryptoperidinium, mitochondrial genes of both host and endosymbiont are expressed , but there is also a relict endosymbiont nucleus that may be in the process of being eliminated (Kempton et al 2002). This suggests that Kryptoperidinium foliaceum is in an intermediate stage of endosymbiont reduction .…”

“…While some studies point to an obligate association of the endosymbiont nucleus with its host, others suggest that the association is transient (Kempton et al 2002;Wolny et al 2004). However, most of the available data on endosymbiosis are derived from genetic studies, whereas the behavior of the endosymbiont-host system during the dinoflagellate life cycle remains poorly understood.…”