Depart. T&E > PD “Single-colony PCR, a new molecular technique in studying the Botryococcus genus diversity”

Project title: “Single-colony PCR, a new molecular technique in studying the Botryococcus genus diversity”

UEFISCDI record no. 39/05.10.2011

Program Name in PNII: Resurse Umane

Project type: Post-doctoral research project

Project manager: PhD Adriana Bica (căs. Hegedus); adriana.bica@icbcluj.ro

Summary. In the context of an increased exhausting of the natural resources, new solutions are search out in the field of biotechnology, using specially microalgae and cyanobacteria. Green colonial microalga Botryococcus braunii is now considered to be of major interest due to its ability of synthesizing large amounts of liquid hydrocarbons similar to fossil fuel. From the three chemical races, the B race (botryococcenes producing strains) is thought to have biotechnological potential. In this study, we aim to respond to the major problem in the Botryococcus issue: finding B strains which produce large amounts of botryococcenes and have a high growth rate. We proposed single-colony PCR as a new technique in approaching the diversity of Botryococcus strains, which will be collected from Transylvania region. Using this technique, only one algal colony is enough for the entire set of molecular analysis. The 18S rRNA gene was found reliable in our previous studies to discriminate the Botryococcus strains and we aim to use it to select Botryococcus strains belonging to B race. The selected strains will be cultivated in controlled conditions and the growth parameters will be determined. The botryococcenes will be quantified also. By these results, we will identify new and valuable Botryococcus strains using single-colony PCR (followed by sequencing) as method and a molecular approach as a concept in studying the biodiversity of Botryococcus genus.