Parvularcula maris sp. nov., an algicidal bacterium isolated from seawater.

A taxonomic study was carried out on strain BGMRC 0090T, which was isolated from seawater. The isolate was a Gram-negative, aerobic, flagellated, rod-shaped bacterium with algicidal activity. Optimal growth was observed at 30 °C, pH 6.0 and with 2 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain BGMRC 0090T belonged to the genus Parvularcula, with highest sequence similarity to Parvularcula lutaonensis CC-MMS-1T (98.4 %). Average nucleotide identity, amino acid identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain BGMRC 0090T and five strains of the genus Parvularcula with publicly available genomes were below 84.0, 69.2 and 21.4 %, respectively. The genome of strain BGMRC 0090T was 3.2 Mb with 64.8 mol% DNA G+C content and encoded 2905 predicted proteins, three rRNA, 42 tRNA and four ncRNA genes. Some algicidal biosynthesis-associated genes were detected in the genome. Strain BGMRC 0090T contained Q-10 as the major quinone. The predominant fatty acids were identified as summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c/ω6c) and C16 : 0. Based on the polyphasic evidence presented in this paper, strain BGMRC 0090T is concluded to represent a novel species of the genus Parvularcula, for which the name Parvularcula maris sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BGMRC 0090T (= KCTC 92591T=MCCC 1K08100T).

Two new diatom species of the genus Gomphonemopsis (Bacillariophyceae) from the coast of China and two new combinations for the genus.

Two new diatom species belonging to the genus Gomphonemopsis are described, Gomphonemopsisnanasp. nov. and Gomphonemopsisgaoisp. nov. These two species were compared in detail with congeners. Gomphonemopsisnana is distinguished by its high stria density and small size. This species was found so far to be epiphytic only on the eelgrass collected from Qingdao Bay (Yellow Sea). Gomphonemopsisgaoi is characterized by its isopolar valves, simple proximal raphe endings and acutely rounded apices. This taxon was separated from the exoskeleton of marine copepods sampled from the Futian Mangrove Nature Reserve (South China Sea). In addition, two new combinations, Gomphonemopsisoahuensis (Hustedt) Lang Li, Yuhang Li & Changping Chen, comb. nov. and Gomphonemopsisplatypus (Østrup) Lang Li, Yuhang Li & Junxiang Lai, comb. nov. are proposed. This study increases the records and knowledge of Gomphonemopsis along the coast of China.

[Phytoplankton pigment patterns and community structure in the Yangtze Estuary and its adjacent areas].

Three cruises were carried out in the Yangtze Estuary and its adjacent areas in May, November, June during 2009-2010. The spatial variations of phytoplankton community structure were investigated based on RP-HPLC analysis of pigments and CHEMTAX processing of the pigment data. 21 kinds of pigments were detected, among which chlorophyll a, peridinin, fucoxanthin, 19'-butanoyloxyfucoxanthin, 19'-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin, chlorophyll b, diadinoxanthin, alloxanthin and zeaxanthin were the major pigments in the Yangtze Estuary and its adjacent areas. Chlorophyll a was the most abundant in all pigments, followed by fuxoxanthin. Other pigments generally contributed a minor proportion to the total pigments. High concentrations of fucoxanthin and peridinin were observed in May 2009 and June 2010, indicating blooms of diatoms and dinoflagellates. The results showed that the composition and distribution of phytoplankton pigments were influenced by environmental factors. The phytoplankton community, as determined by biomarker pigment concentration using HPLC and CHEMTAX, was composed mainly of diatoms, dinoflagellates, cryptophytes, chlorophytes, cyanobacteria, prymnesiophytes, chrysophytes and prasinophytes. The dominant algal groups were diatoms, dinoflagellates and chlorophytes in May 2009. The phytoplankton community was characterized by high contribution of diatoms in November 2009. Diatoms, dinoflagellates and cryptophytes accounted for 62.5% of chlorophyll a in June 2010, and the relative abundance of cyanobacteria was higher in this cruise. The spatial variations of phytoplankton community structure featured distinct regionality. Diatoms, chlorophytes and cryptophytes were the main groups in the inshore waters, and the abundances of prymnesiophytes, chrysophytes and cyanobacteria were increasing from inshore to the open sea.