• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.359-369
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• 2007

Amoebophrya is an obligate endoparasitic eukaryotic dinoflagellate infecting host species and eventually killing them within a short period. Because of its host specificity and significant impacts on population dynamics of host species, it has long been proposed to be a potential biological agent for controlling harmful algal bloom (HAB). For several decades, the difficulties of culturing host - parasite systems have been a great obstacle to further research on the biology of Amoebophrya but recent success of several culture systems reactivates this research field. In this study, as a preliminary work for understanding the impacts of Amoebophrya on the population dynamics of host species, semimonthly occurrence of infected host dinoflagellates by Amoebophrya spp. had been observed in Jinhae Bay for two years and with a host - parasite system cultivated, host specificity of Amoebophrya spp. on several dinoflagellates was tested. Amoebophrya spp. were observed in the cellular organelle and cytoplasm of several species including Akashiwo sanguinea, Ceratium fusus, Dinophysis acuminata, Heterocapsa triquetra, Oblea sp., Prorocentrum minimum, P. triestinum, Scrippsiella spinifera, and S. trochoidea. Among them two host - parasite systems for an athecate dinoflagellate, A. sanguinea, and for a thecate dinoflagellate, H. triquetra, had been able to be successfully established as laboratary cultures. Cross-infection tests for 6 species of dinoflagellates in which Amoebophrya was observed or had been reported to exist confirmed high preference for host species of the parasite. Through the continuous research on Amoebophrya occurring in Korean coastal waters, we need to maintain various host - parasite culture systems, which will be very helpful for understanding its ecological role in marine food webs and for applying the species to biologically control harmful algal blooms.

• ALGAE
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.263-275
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• 2020

Water temperature is known to affect the growth and feeding of marine dinoflagellates. Each dinoflagellate species grows well at a certain optimal temperature but dies at very cold and hot temperatures. Thus, changes in water temperatures driven by global warming and extremely high or low temperatures can affect the distribution of dinoflagellates. Yihiella yeosuensis is a mixotrophic dinoflagellate that can feed on only the cryptophyte Teleaulax amphioxeia and the chlorophyte Pyramimonas sp. Furthermore, it grows fast mixotrophically but rarely grows photosynthetically. We explored the direct and indirect effects of water temperature on the growth and ingestion rates of Y. yeosuensis feeding on T. amphioxeia and the growth rates of T. amphioxeia and Pyramimonas sp. under 7 different water temperatures (5-35℃). Both the autotrophic and mixotrophic growth rates of Y. yeosuensis on T. amphioxeia were significantly affected by temperature. Under the mixotrophic and autotrophic conditions, Y. yeosuensis survived at 10-25℃, but died at 5℃ and ≥30℃. The maximum mixotrophic growth rate of Y. yeosuensis on T. amphioxeia (1.16 d^-1) was achieved at 25℃, whereas the maximum autotrophic growth rate (0.16 d^-1) was achieved at 15℃. The maximum ingestion rate of Y. yeosuensis on T. amphioxeia (0.24 ng C predator^-1 d^-1) was achieved at 25℃. The cells of T. amphioxeia survived at 10-25℃, but died at 5 and ≥30℃. The cells of Pyramimonas sp. survived at 5-25℃, but died at 30℃. The maximum growth rate of T. amphioxeia (0.72 d^-1) and Pyramimonas sp. (0.75 d^-1) was achieved at 25℃. The abundance of Y. yeosuensis is expected to be high at 25℃, at which its two prey species have their highest growth rates, whereas Y. yeosuensis is expected to be rare or absent at 5℃ or ≥30℃ at which its two prey species do not survive or grow. Therefore, temperature can directly or indirectly affect the population dynamics and distribution of Y. yeosuensis.

• ALGAE
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.285-308
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• 2017

Cochlodinium polykrikoides red tides have caused great economic losses in the aquaculture industry in many countries. To investigate the roles of metazooplankton in red tide dynamics of C. polykrikoides in the South Sea of Korea, the abundance of metazooplankton was measured at 60 stations over 1- or 2-week intervals from May to November 2014. In addition, the grazing impacts of dominant metazooplankton on red tide species and their potential heterotrophic protistan grazers were estimated by combining field data on the abundance of red tide species, heterotrophic protist grazers, and dominant metazooplankton with data obtained from the literature concerning ingestion rates of the grazers on red tide species and heterotrophic protists. The mean abundance of total metazooplankton at each sampling time during the study was 297-1,119 individuals $m^{-3}$. The abundance of total metazooplankton was significantly positively correlated with that of phototrophic dinoflagellates (p < 0.01), but it was not significantly correlated with water temperature, salinity, and the abundance of diatoms, euglenophytes, cryptophytes, heterotrophic dinoflagellates, tintinnid ciliates, and naked ciliates (p > 0.1). Thus, dinoflagellate red tides may support high abundance of total metazooplankton. Copepods dominated metazooplankton assemblages at all sampling times except from Jul 11 to Aug 6 when cladocerans and hydrozoans dominated. The calculated maximum grazing coefficients attributable to calanoid copepods on C. polykrikoides and Prorocentrum spp. were 0.018 and $0.029d^{-1}$, respectively. Therefore, calanoid copepods may not control populations of C. polykrikoides or Prorocentrum spp. Furthermore, the maximum grazing coefficients attributable to calanoid copepods on the heterotrophic dinoflagellates Polykrikos spp. and Gyrodinium spp., which were grazers on C. polykrikoides and Prorocentrum spp., respectively, were 0.008 and $0.047d^{-1}$, respectively. Therefore, calanoid copepods may not reduce grazing impact by these heterotrophic dinoflagellate grazers on populations of the red tide dinoflagellates.

• ALGAE
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.289-301
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• 2019

Mixotrophy in marine organisms is an important aspect of ecology and evolution. The discovery of mixotrophic abilities in phototrophic dinoflagellates alters our understanding of the dynamics of red tides. In the phototrophic dinoflagellate genus Alexandrium, some species are mixotrophic, but others are exclusively autotrophic. There are differences in the ecological roles of autotrophic and mixotrophic Alexandrium in marine food webs. However, of the 34 known Alexandrium species, the mixotrophic ability of >20 species has yet to be explored. In this study, the mixotrophic capabilities of Alexandrium insuetum CCMP2082, Alexandrium mediterraneum CCMP3433, Alexandrium pacificum CCMP3434, Alexandrium tamutum ATSH1609, and Alexandrium margalefii CAWD10 were investigated by providing each species with 22 diverse prey items including bacterium-sized microbeads (1 ㎛), the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp., algal prey species, and the ciliate Mesodinium rubrum. None of the 5 Alexandrium species fed on any of the prey items. These results increase the number of Alexandrium species lacking mixotrophic abilities to 9, compared to the 7 known mixotrophic Alexandrium species. Furthermore, the Alexandrium phylogenetic tree based on the large subunit ribosomal DNA contained 3 large clades, each of which had species with and without mixotrophic abilities. Thus, the acquisition or loss of mixotrophic abilities in Alexandrium might readily occur.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.320-324
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• 2002

To establish a rapidly immunochemical identification on a dinoflagellate, Cochlodinium polykrikoides, a specific antigenic protein as a maker on the cell membrane was isolated. The cell membranes of C. polykrikoides and Gymnodinium sangineum were harvested by centrifugation after osmotic shock. The membrane proteins of both cells were solubilized in 50 mM Na-carbonate contained 1 mM DTT, and separated the proteins on SDS-PACE. Immune-blot on the solubilized membrane proteins of the both cells was performed with antiserum against the solubilized membrane proteins of C. polykrikoides. A 120 kDa membrane protein of C. polykrikoides had remarkablely different antigenicity from that of G. sangineum.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.183-190
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• 2005

We investigated the seasonal variability of tree alkaline phosphatase activity in seawater and alkaline phosphatase hydrolysable phosphorus (APHP) at 3 stations in Hiroshima Bay using alkaline phosphatase extracted from the dinoflagellates Alexandrium tamarense and Gymnodinium catenatum. The dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) was lower than $1\;{\mu}M$ all samples; the lowest values were in May. The amount of APHP was high at the surface and bottom waters of all stations in May, showing DIP-depleted conditions. In August and November, the amount of APHP was much less than the amount of APHP in May, indicating that the availability of dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) for these species was low and/or uptake during the dinoflagellate blooming might have occurred in the area. The results obtained from short-term variations of AP activity might suggest that the growth of dinoflagellates in this season may be partly supported by the AP produced by other diatoms.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.78-86
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• 1997

To clarify the phytoplankton blooms in Lake Shihwa after the construction of a dyke, a study on the environmental factors, the distribution of chlorophyll-a, phytoplankton standing stocks, dominant species and primary productivity was carried out in Lake Shihwa and adjacent coastal areas from October, 1995 to August, 1996. Lake Shihwa is brackish water with mixing of freshwater from tributaries and the remaining salt water at the bottom. The dense phytoplankton bloom of average value of 168.6 ${\mu}gChl-a\;l^{-1}$ have occurred throughout the year in Lake Shihwa which is eutrophicated by the large input of nutrients from inflowing 5 tributaries and Shihwa Industrial Complex. The major organisms of algal bloom in Lake Shihwa were diatoms, Cyclotella atomus, Nitzschia sp. and Chaetoceros sp. in autumn and winter, and dinoflagellate Prorocentrum minimum and Chrysophyceae in spring and summer. The autumn and winter diatom blooms were limited by the depletion of silicate in the lake. Diatom blooms have occurred in the coastal areas adjacent to Shihwa lake from winter to summer due to the inflow of nutrient rich-water from Lake Shihwa. The primary productivities in the Lake Shihwa ranged from 2,653 mgC $m^{-2}\;day^{-1}$ to 9,505 mgC $m^{-2}\;day^{-1}$ with an average of 3,972 mgC $m^{-2}\;day^{-1}$. However, most of the high primary production was limited to the shallow euphotic zone due to the inhibition of light penetration. The primary productivities during autumn and winter were limited by the depletion of silicate. Lack of photosynthesis and the decomposition of falling organic matter under the middle of water column accelerated the depletion of dissolved oxygen in the bottom layer.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.193-200
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• 2002

Three species of fish such as yellow tail (Seriola quinqueradiata), bastard halibut (Paralichthys olivaceus) and black rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli) were exposed to the dinoflagellate, Cochlodinium polykrikoides, and quality changes of fish after death were investigated during the extended storage. The volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) and aerobic plate counts (APC) were determined in the muscles of fish, arid organoleptic change was evaluated in the kills, skins and muscles. APC in all the fish species did not change in 6 hours of storage, but increased gradually thereafter. VBN contents in the muscles continuously increased throughout the storage of fish. Slightly higher levels of APC and VBN were observed in the tested fish than control fish, which had been exposed to air until died and stored in seawater without treating C. polykrikoides. After 12 hours of storage, APC and VBN contents in the muscles did not exceed the initial spoilage limit, 10$^{5}$ CFU/g fur APC and 30 mg/100 g for VBN, in all of the fish including control fish. Organoleptic change in fish treated with C. polykrikoides did not greatly differ from the control fish. After 8 hours of storage, distinctive deterioration of muscle was detected organoleptically in the treated fish and the control fish. The compiled result indicated that moribund fish exposed to C. polykrikoides bloom should be handled properly in 6 hours of storage after death of fish.

• ALGAE
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.45-59
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• 2020

To investigate the spatio-temporal distributions of the mixotrophic dinoflagellate Yihiella yeosuensis in Korean coastal waters and its grazing impact on prey populations, water samples were seasonally collected from 28 stations in the East, West, and South Seas of Korea and Jeju Island from April 2015 to October 2018. The abundances of Y. yeosuensis in the water samples were quantified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Simultaneously, the physical and chemical properties of water from all sampled stations were determined, and the abundances of the optimal prey species of Y. yeosuensis, the prasinophyte Pyramimonas sp. and the cryptophyte Teleaulax amphioxeia, were quantified using qPCR. Y. yeosuensis has a wide distribution, as is reflected by the detection of Y. yeosuensis cells at 23 sampling stations; however, this distribution has a strong seasonality, which is indicated by its detection at 22 stations in summer but only one station in winter. The abundance of Y. yeosuensis was significantly and positively correlated with those of Pyramimonas sp. and T. amphioxeia, as well as with water temperature. The highest abundance of Y. yeosuensis was 48.5 cells mL^-1 in Buan in July 2017, when the abundances of Pyramimonas sp. and T. amphioxeia were 917.6 and 210.4 cells mL^-1, respectively. The growth rate of Y. yeosuensis on Pyramimonas sp., calculated by interpolating the growth rates at the same abundance, was 0.49 d^-1, which is 37% of the maximum growth rate of Y. yeosuensis on Pyramimonas sp. obtained in the laboratory. Therefore, the field abundance of Pyramimonas sp. obtained in the present study can support a moderate positive growth of Y. yeosuensis. The maximum grazing coefficient for Y. yeosuensis on the co-occurring Pyramimonas sp. was 0.42 d^-1, indicating that 35% of the Pyramimonas sp. population were consumed in 1 d. Therefore, the spatio-temporal distribution of Y. yeosuensis in Korean coastal waters may be affected by those of the optimal prey species and water temperature. Moreover, Y. yeosuensis may potentially have considerable grazing impacts on populations of Pyramimonas sp.

• ALGAE
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.237-251
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• 2019

The dinoflagellate genus Alexandrium is known to often form harmful algal blooms causing human illness and large-scale mortality of marine organisms. Therefore, the population dynamics of Alexandrium species are of primary concern to scientists and aquaculture farmers. The growth rate of the Alexandrium species is the most important parameter in prediction models and nutrient conditions are critical parameters affecting the growth of phototrophic species. In Korean coastal waters, Alexandrium affine and Alexandrium fraterculus, of similar sizes, often form red-tide patches together. Thus, to understand bloom dynamics of A. affine and A. fraterculus, growth rates and nitrate uptake of each species as a function of nitrate ($NO_3$) concentration at $100{\mu}mol\;photons\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ under 14-h light : 10-h dark and continuous light conditions were determined using a nutrient repletion method. With increasing $NO_3$ concentration, growth rates and $NO_3$ uptake of A. affine or A. fraterculus increased, but became saturated. Under light : dark conditions, the maximum growth rates of A. affine and A. fraterculus were 0.45 and $0.42d^{-1}$, respectively. However, under continuous light conditions, the maximum growth rate of A. affine slightly increased to $0.46d^{-1}$, but that of A. fraterculus largely decreased. Furthermore, the maximum nitrate uptake of A. affine and A. fraterculus under light : dark conditions were 12.9 and $30.1pM\;cell^{-1}d^{-1}$, respectively. The maximum nitrate uptake of A. affine under continuous light conditions was $16.4pM\;cell^{-1}d^{-1}$. Thus, A. affine and A. fraterculus have similar maximum growth rates at the given $NO_3$ concentration ranges, but they have different maximum nitrate uptake rates. A. affine may have a higher conversion rate of $NO_3$ to body nitrogen than A. fraterculus. Moreover, a longer exposure time to the light may confer an advantage to A. affine over A. fraterculus.