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Enumeration of Total Virioplankton and Isolation of Specific Cyanophages from Selected Aquatic Ecosystems in Goa, India


Affiliations
1 Department of Biotechnology, Goa University, Taleigao Plateau, Goa 403 206, India
2 CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004,, India
 

Viruses are known to be highly abundant and, therefore, ecologically significant entities of all aquatic ecosystems. However, very few studies from marine and freshwater ecosystems in India have dealt with enumeration, isolation or characterization of their virus (virioplankton) populations. In the present study, we have estimated total virioplankton populations from several kinds of aquatic niches, viz. rice fields, lakes and estuaries, using flow cytometry. Rice field floodwaters displayed the highest virioplankton count of 1.21 × 107 particles per ml. As cyanophages form the second most abundant class of virioplankton (after bacteriophages), we also isolated four cyanophages from the same aquatic niches.

Keywords

Aquatic Ecosystem, Cyanophage, Flow Cytometry, Virus Enumeration.
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  • Enumeration of Total Virioplankton and Isolation of Specific Cyanophages from Selected Aquatic Ecosystems in Goa, India

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Authors

Judith Miriam Noronha
Department of Biotechnology, Goa University, Taleigao Plateau, Goa 403 206, India
Amara Begum Mulla
CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004,, India
Manguesh U. Gauns
CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004,, India
Sanjeev C. Ghadi
Department of Biotechnology, Goa University, Taleigao Plateau, Goa 403 206, India

Abstract


Viruses are known to be highly abundant and, therefore, ecologically significant entities of all aquatic ecosystems. However, very few studies from marine and freshwater ecosystems in India have dealt with enumeration, isolation or characterization of their virus (virioplankton) populations. In the present study, we have estimated total virioplankton populations from several kinds of aquatic niches, viz. rice fields, lakes and estuaries, using flow cytometry. Rice field floodwaters displayed the highest virioplankton count of 1.21 × 107 particles per ml. As cyanophages form the second most abundant class of virioplankton (after bacteriophages), we also isolated four cyanophages from the same aquatic niches.

Keywords


Aquatic Ecosystem, Cyanophage, Flow Cytometry, Virus Enumeration.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv115%2Fi11%2F2147-2150