Towards a molecular taxonomy for the bloom-forming cyanobacteria

Abstract

Regions of the 16s subunit of the ribosomal RNA gene of the bloom-associated cyanobacterial genera Microcystis and Anabaena have been sequenced and found to provide strain-specific sequence information. Comparisons of the DNA sequence of these cyanobacteria indicated that the strains examined are related and that probes diagnostic for bloom-forming and toxigenic strains in water samples can be designed.