SPECIES DETERMINATION OF GREEN ALGAE ISOLATED FROM JEPARA, INDONESIAN COASTAL REGION BASED ON MICROBIOLOGYCAL, ECOPHYSIOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION FOR IMPROVEMENT OF CAROTENOID PRODUCTION

Abstract

Local isolate of green algae from Jepara waters usually use as a source for carotenoid supplement for animal fisheries in the local area. This indigenous algae has been successfully purificated. Although local isolate of green algae was known as Dunaliella but our previous molecular study by 18SrDNA analysis to determine the species of this organisms showing negative result. In order to improve carotenoid production from the organisms investigated in this study, the main purpose of this study was species determination of local isolate of green algae based on microbiologycal, ecophysiologycal and molecular characterization. The results of research with morphological, microbiologycal and ecophysiological experiments indicated that local isolate of green algae posseses Cyanobacteria characteristic, especially Synechocystis. Analysis with 16SrDNA sequence from genome of green algae Isolate were also in accordance with these results, in showing close similarities with Synechocystis 16SrDNA sequence. However, it should be noted that, instead of having Synechocystis dominant feature, it was also found that local isolate of green algae also exhibit different characteristic in having chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and lack phycobillins. This characters was typical for aberrant Cyanophyta, Prochlorophyta.