Novel Approaches to Molecular Diagnostics of Prorocentrum Minimum in the Golden Horn Estuary, the Sea of Marmara

The identification and quantification of individual algal species remains difficult, time consuming, requiring a great deal of expertise and experience. Alternative to traditional, morphology-based methods, molecular techniques need less expertise for the detection of cryptic species within the bioindicator community. Although these methods require detailed knowledge of the molecular diversity within taxa in order to design efficient specific primers to avoid cross-reaction with non-target sequences. Based on rDNA (large subunit) LSU, RAPD and real-time PCR results and melting curve analysis, a model system to detect marine, planktonic, bloom -forming dinoflagellate Prorocentrum minimum using the DNA extracted from the Golden Horn Estuary bloom samples and mixed samples.