Application of Image Analysis System for Red Tide Organisms

Relative DNA contents in some harmful algae were measured using DAPI staining and image analysis system. This method was useful to identify some morphologically similar species and isolates from harmful algal blooms (HABs). In exponential phase, Prorocentrum micans had higher relative DNA content (RD) of $1.83\pm0.52$ than any other isolates, followed by Cochlodinium polykrikoides $(1.10\pm0.46)$ Alexandrium tamarense $(0.93\pm0.32)$ Gyrodinium impudicum $(0.56\pm0.17)$, Scrippsiella trochoidea $(0.41\pm0.26)$ and P. minimum$(0.05\pm0.01)$. When they were fixed with Lugol's solution, it was difficult to d,iscern C. polykrikoides from G. impudicum under the light microscope, but the DNA contents were quite different in two species. C. polykrikoides contained about twice as much RD as G. impudicum under the same culture conditions and exponential phase. DAPI­stained DNA feature in C. polykrikodes showed concentrated in the peripheral part of the cell, but in G. impudicum showed a compact structure in the central part. Although A. tamarense and S. trochoidea were morphologically similar under the light microscope, nuclear DNA content of A. tamarense was twice as much as that of S. trochoidea.