Molecular authentication of green algae Caulerpa (Caulerpales, Chlorophyta) based on ITS and tufA genes from Andaman Islands, India

109-114Indigenous and non-indigenous invasive algal species introduction or prevalence is one of the major concerns to protect the native coastal environment. Globally, several studies have reported the effect of invasive alga Caulerpa on coral reefs. To establish the genetic variation between indigenous and non-indigenous invasive species, attempts have been made to develop molecular identification of Caulerpa algal species available at the Andaman Islands. In this study, 7 visually and morphologically different species belonging to the genus Caulerpa (Chlorophyta) were collected from the intertidal regions of South and Little Andaman Islands, India. The specimens were preliminarily identified based on the morphological characters and genetically mapped using ITS2 and chloroplast tufA gene markers. Six species of the Caulerpa viz. Caulerpa racemosa, C. racemosa var lamourouxii, C. racemosa var macrophysa, C. serrulata, C. fergusonii and C. microphysa were identified using ITS2 gene, and. C. mexicana var pluriseriata was identified using tufA gene. Two varieties, C. mexicana var. pluriseriata and C. racemosa var lamourouxii were found to be invasive to Indian waters. These were earlier reported in Red sea and in Phillipine waters in the pacific ocean. Further studies are needed to elucidate the genetic divergence of the Caulerpa species present in Andaman waters using different molecular markers

Baseline Survey on Coral Diseases, Stress Factors and New Threats in Coral Reefs of Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere, India

Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve (GOMMBRE) is the first marine biosphere reserve in India and Southeast Asia. It has a rich marine biodiversity including coral reefs, but now facing threats from different environmental factors and anthropogenic interferences. Particularly, coral reefs distributed in the 21 islands under the Gulf of Mannar (GoM) region are facing critical threats. Although several institutions and authors have studied various aspects on corals, direct and indirect influences of natural and anthropogenic catastrophes on corals have been poorly understood. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to identify the anthropogenic disturbances, biological stress factors and diseases on fringing reefs of GoM. The present study reveals that dead coral reefs are being replaced by assemblage of marine algae. Although several diseases were recorded during this study, pink line disease is wide spread in all the islands. Porites sp. and Acropora sp. were the more affected corals. This baseline data lays foundations to survey and to assess the rapid changes that occur over a period of time in coral reefs of GoM

Ecological and Biotechnological Aspects of Pigmented Microbes: A Way Forward in Development of Food and Pharmaceutical Grade Pigments

Microbial pigments play multiple roles in the ecosystem construction, survival, and fitness of all kinds of organisms. Considerably, microbial (bacteria, fungi, yeast, and microalgae) pigments offer a wide array of food, drug, colorants, dyes, and imaging applications. In contrast to the natural pigments from microbes, synthetic colorants are widely used due to high production, high intensity, and low cost. Nevertheless, natural pigments are gaining more demand over synthetic pigments as synthetic pigments have demonstrated side effects on human health. Therefore, research on microbial pigments needs to be extended, explored, and exploited to find potential industrial applications. In this review, the evolutionary aspects, the spatial significance of important pigments, biomedical applications, research gaps, and future perspectives are detailed briefly. The pathogenic nature of some pigmented bacteria is also detailed for awareness and safe handling. In addition, pigments from macro-organisms are also discussed in some sections for comparison with microbes

Blue Microbiology—Aquatic Microbial Resources for Sustainable Life on Earth

The exploration of the microbial world in research continues to be fascinating and unending in several aspects of taxonomy, genomics, evolution, and industrial applications [...]</jats:p

Seagrass Ecosystems of Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Status and Future Perspective

Seagrasses are unique marine flowering plants that play an important ecological role by yielding primary production and carbon sequestration to the marine environment. Seagrass ecosystems are rich in organic matter, supporting the growth of bio-medically important epi and endophytic microorganisms and harbor rich marine biodiversity. They are an essential food source for endangered Andaman state animal Dugongs. Seagrasses are very sensitive to water quality changes, and therefore they serve as ecological bio-indicators for environmental changes. The benthic components in and around the seagrass beds support a significant food chain for other Micro and organisms apart from fishery resources. The epiphytic bacterial communities of the leaf blades support the sustenance against the diseases. Recent reports have shown that the loss of seagrass beds in tropical and temperate regions emphasizes the depletion of these resources, and proper management of seagrass is urgent. The decline of seagrass will impact primary production, biodiversity, and adjacent ecosystems, such as reefs. Therefore, restoring the seagrass meadows could be possible with effective implementing management programs, including seagrass meadows in marine protected areas, restoration projects, seagrass transplantation, implementation of legislative rules, monitoring coastal water quality and human activities in the coastal zone. Lacunas on the seagrass ecosystem management in Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands are addressed.</jats:p

Blue Microbiology&mdash;Aquatic Microbial Resources for Sustainable Life on Earth

The exploration of the microbial world in research continues to be fascinating and unending in several aspects of taxonomy, genomics, evolution, and industrial applications [...