(602e) Algal Genotyping in an Open System and a Bioreactor

Algae are a high growth source for biomass with a great potential to be a significantly eco-friendly bio-fuel source. Since different species of algae have different oil and lipid concentrations it is important to genotype the algae in an open environment to determine the best species for biofuel production. Alternatively, in a bioreactor it is important to maintain the dominance of the best-fuel producing species.  For genotyping, we examine the 16S and the 18S genes, which are highly conserved among prokaryotes and eukaryotes (respectively), but both have unique small variable regions that can be used to differentiate between species. We examined 2 methods of DNA analysis, capillary electrophoresis single strand conformation polymorphism (CE-SSCP) and single base extension (SBE).  For the open system, we were able to use CE-SSCP to identify different algal species, which were confirmed by sequencing.  Alternatively, for the bioreactor, we were able to detect and monitor 2 different algal types (Spirulina and Chlorella).