USING PORTABLE DNA SEQUENCERS FOR RAPID AND PRECISE CHARACTERIZATION OF PHYTOPLANKTON BLOOMS

The phenomenon of harmful phytoplankton blooms has been an alarming concern for the tropical waters of Singapore causing significant economic losses to the fishing and aquaculture industries. Many research studies have been performed with regards to such blooms around the world. However the exact combination of factors that contribute to the occurrences of such blooms remain blurred. Therefore, these events are still difficult to forecast and mitigate. A further complicating and limiting aspect of research and management in this field is the traditional identification of the causative organisms through microscopy and other conventional methods, which may be tedious, requiring trained personnel and might not be adequate to precisely characterize the bloom causing organisms. New rapid molecular methods for the detection and characterization of microorganisms are gaining popularity due to their relatively low costs and precise rapid results.  We will present the first application of third generation sequencing technology using portable MinION^TM sequencers for the rapid characterization of phytoplankton communities. This approach holds the promise for the early detection of harmful algal blooms even in the most remote locations where expensive laboratory facilities and professional expertise are not readily available. Such genetic characterization can further add insights into investigating the exact nature of the biotic interactions and dynamics which may either cause, perpetuate or lead to the decay of such harmful algal blooms. A thorough understanding of these interactions will help to develop methods to better forecast water quality and therefore support a better zone management of highly sensitive aquaculture production areas.