Separation and identification of unicellular symbiotic algae with dominant species of reef-building corals on Lavan Island using Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) method

Arbabinia, Amir; Ghavam Mostafavi, Pargol; Shahhosseiny, Mohammadhassan

Volume 16, Issue 2 (summer 2026) J. Aqua. Eco 2026, 16(2): 1-10 | Back to browse issues page

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Arbabinia A, Ghavam Mostafavi P, Shahhosseiny M. Separation and identification of unicellular symbiotic algae with dominant species of reef-building corals on Lavan Island using Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) method. J. Aqua. Eco 2026; 16 (2) :1-10
URL: http://jae.hormozgan.ac.ir/article-1-1167-en.html

Separation and identification of unicellular symbiotic algae with dominant species of reef-building corals on Lavan Island using Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) method

Amir Arbabinia

, Pargol Ghavam Mostafavi ^*

, Mohammadhassan Shahhosseiny

Abstract: (3 Views)

Reef-building corals harbor diverse communities of unicellular dinoflagellate algae that provide essential photosynthetic energy and contribute to host calcification. Coral colonies can associate with multiple algal symbiont types, and environmental changes may alter the relative abundance of these symbionts, potentially favoring thermally and environmentally tolerant types that enhance coral persistence under stressful conditions. In this study, seven species of scleractinian corals—Cyphastrea microphthalma, Platygyra daedalea, Pavona decussata, Acropora downingii, Psammocora contigua, Dipsastraea pallida, and Porites compressa—were collected at depths of 3–5 m around Lavan Island using SCUBA diving. Following collection, DNA was extracted from coral tissues, and the Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS2) region was amplified using ITS2-specific primers and a GC-clamp primer. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) was used to characterize and distinguish the dominant Symbiodiniaceae lineages associated with each coral species. Among the seven coral species examined, sub-clade D1 was dominant in C. microphthalma, D. pallida, and P. daedalea, whereas sub-clade C1 was dominant in P. contigua and P. compressa. Notably, P. compressa harbored symbionts belonging to both clades C and D, with C1 being the dominant sub-clade. The detection of thermally and salinity-tolerant Symbiodiniaceae lineages, particularly clades C and D, suggests that these symbiotic associations may contribute to the ability of coral hosts to persist under the highly variable environmental conditions of the Persian Gulf. These findings provide baseline information on coral–Symbiodiniaceae associations around Lavan Island and contribute to understanding the potential role of symbiont diversity in coral resilience to environmental stress.

Keywords: Reef-building corals, Symbiodinium, Lavan Island, DGGE, ITS2, Persian Gulf.

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Type of Study: Research | Subject: Special
Published: 2026/07/1