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| Titel |
Technical Note: Determination of the metabolically active fraction of benthic foraminifera by means of Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH) |
| VerfasserIn |
C. Borrelli, A. Sabbatini, G. M. Luna, M. P. Nardelli, T. Sbaffi, C. Morigi, R. Danovaro, A. Negri |
| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| ISSN |
1726-4170
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| Digitales Dokument |
URL |
| Erschienen |
In: Biogeosciences ; 8, no. 8 ; Nr. 8, no. 8 (2011-08-04), S.2075-2088 |
| Datensatznummer |
250006071
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 copernicus.org/bg-8-2075-2011.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Benthic foraminifera are an important component of the marine biota, but
protocols for investigating their viability and metabolism are still
extremely limited. Classical studies on benthic foraminifera have been based
on direct counting under light microscopy. Typically, these organisms are
stained with Rose Bengal, which binds proteins and other macromolecules, but
does not allow discrimination between viable and recently dead organisms.
The fluorescent in situ hybridization technique (FISH) represents a new and
useful approach to identify living cells possessing an active metabolism.
Our work is the first test of the suitability of the FISH technique, based
on fluorescent probes targeting the 18S rRNA, to detect live benthic
foraminifera. The protocol was applied on Ammonia group and Miliolids, as well as on
agglutinated polythalamous (i.e., Leptohalysis scottii and Eggerella scabra) and soft-shelled monothalamous
(i.e.,
Psammophaga sp. and saccamminid morphotypes) taxa. The results from FISH analyses were
compared with those obtained, on the same specimens assayed with FISH, from
microscopic analysis of the cytoplasm colour, presence of pigments and
pseudopodial activity. Our results indicate that FISH targets only
metabolically active foraminifera, and allows discerning from low to high
cellular activity, validating the hypothesis that the intensity of the
fluorescent signal emitted by the probe is dependent upon the physiological
status of cells. These findings support the usefulness of this molecular
approach as a key tool for obtaining information on the physiology of living
foraminifera, both in field and experimental settings. |
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