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Molecular Methods for HABs Monitoring
Citation:
SANTO-DOMINGO, J. W. AND J. Lu. Molecular Methods for HABs Monitoring. Presented at Regional-ORD Community of Science Networking Program, Virtual meeting, OH, April 04 - 06, 2022.
Impact/Purpose:
This presentation will cover the results from environmental monitoring of cyanobacterial blooms from Lake Harsha using molecular methods
Description:
This presentation will introduce molecular monitoring approaches used in the detection and quantification of cyanobacterial groups and cyanotoxin genes implicated in HABs. We will focus our discussion on results from next generation sequence analysis and qPCR/RT-qPCR methods used to characterize the cyanobacterial community structure, associated bacterial community, toxic cyanobacteria, and geographically localized genotypes (strains) or species. The methods are also used to study cyanobacterial functional genes associated with nutrients (i.e., nitrogen cycle) that may play a role in toxin production and their relationship to water quality parameters, as well as to explore drivers of cyanotoxin production using mRNA-based sequence analysis. We will also discuss the occurrence, distribution, and temporal-spatial variations of cyanobacteria, especially toxin-producers, and how they could be used as early warning systems for cyanotoxin production. Training for collaborators from regional offices, states and tribes are provided under certain EPA programs.