Integrative identification of Tetratostichococcus sp. CCAH0201 (Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyta) from Rhizophora leaves in the Can Gio Mangrove Forest, Vietnam

Abstract

A microalgal strain from Rhizophora leaves in the Can Gio Mangrove Forest, Vietnam, was examined by light microscopy and three molecular markers. Thirty-six cells from 22 micrographs measured 6.68-12.74 by 3.49-4.79 micrometres. Homologous phylogenetic windows comprised 550 nucleotides for SSU rDNA, 711 for ITS and 1,170 for rbcL. CCAH0201, P1 and Tetratostichococcus jenerensis SAG 2138 shared the SSU 3-prime sequence, whereas ITS and rbcL placed CCAH0201 with P1 (SH-aLRT/UFBoot 87/94 and 96.9/99). CCAH0201 differed from P1 at 22/711 ITS and 4/1,170 rbcL sites. Structure-guided ITS2 comparison identified one strict CBC, one two-sided change from a wobble pair and three hemi-CBCs relative to P1. CCAH0201 is thus identified as Tetratostichococcus sp. in a lineage close to P1.