PCR primers for the amplification of the nuclear small subunit ribosomal DNA sequences from polycystine radiolarians

Abstract

Polycystinea (Radiolaria) is a class of planktonic protists widely distributed in tropical, subtropical, and even polar marine environments. Various types of algae occur as intracellular symbionts in the cells of the polycystines (e.g., Anderson, 1976) which causes significant cross-contamination in polycystine DNA-extractions, complicating DNA-based molecular analyses. We designed potential primers; Spu 191F and Spu 1731R, specifically for spumellarian polycystines, which are solitary and have spongy or latticed siliceous shells. These primers amplified 18S rDNA sequences directly from the specimens containing symbiotic algae. They will be used to accelerate phylogenetic analyses of polycystine radiolarians, which have not been established in culture and possess symbiotic algae.