Phylotype diversity in a benthic cyanobacterial mat community on King George Island, maritime Antarctica

Cyanobacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene diversity was examined in a benthic mat on Fildes Peninsula of King George Island (62º09'54.4''S, 58º57'20.9''W), maritime Antarctica. Environmental DNA was isolated from the mat, a clone library of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments was prepared, and amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) was done to assign clones to seven groups. Low cyanobacterial diversity in the mat was suggested in that 83% of the clones were represented by one ARDRA group. DNA sequences from this group had high similarity with 16S rRNA genes of Tychonema bourrellyi and T. bornetii isolates, whose geographic origins were southern Norway and Northern Ireland. Cyanobacterial morphotypes corresponding to Tychonema have not been reported in Antarctica, however, this morphotype was previously found at Ward Hunt Lake (83ºN), and in western Europe (52ºN). DNA sequences of three of the ARDRA groups had highest similarity with 16S rDNA sequences of the Tychonema group accounting for 9.4% of the clones. Sequences of the remaining three groups (7.6%) had highest similarity with 16S rRNA genes of uncultured cyanobacteria clones from benthic mats of Lake Fryxell and fresh meltwater on the McMurdo Ice Shelf.