Identification of source of bioluminescense

Overview

• A large marine environment began to show a flourescent bioluminescense, which had not been seen previously. The client wanted to identify the source of the bio-luminescense.

• Numerous of bacteria can be found in a normal marine environment, making any culture-based identification difficult. A DNA-based approach was the best method to attempt to identify the bacteria responsible for the luminescense.

Question

What microbe is responsible for the fluorescent bioluminescense that appeared in this marine environment? 
 

Analyses Requested:
           
            DGGE

Results:

Answer:

• DGGE analysis yielded multiple bands, many of which contained DNA sequences that identified several genera of marine bacteria including Marinobacter, Synechoccus, Fulvimarina, Teneacibaculum, Photobacterium, Glaciecola, Alcanivorax, and Alteromonas.

• Among the genera identified, Photobacterium had been reported to be luminescent, suggesting that this bacteria was the source of the bioluminescense seen.