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Study of the bacterial diversity associated with the marine sponge Xestospongia testudinaria
Author
Chan, Yu Mun
Supervisor
Tan, Lik Tong
Goh, Beverly
Abstract
The study of the symbiotic association between bacteria and sponges has been carried out on a number of sponge species at different geographical locations. However, the Singapore environment, and its diversity of bacterial communities in sponges is largely unexplored and currently remains a largely untapped resource for novel natural products. This dissertation is a pilot study that explores the identity and diversity of bacterial communities isolated via culture dependent methods from the sponge, Xestospongia testudinaria, found in Singapore waters. Analysis of bacterial identity was carried using 16S rRNA gene sequences from isolated sponges obtained from three locations, Pulau Hantu, Pulau Kusu and Pulau Semakau. It is shown that bacteria of the genus Bacillus and Vibrio are found in sponge samples collected from all three locations, while other bacteria genera such as Labrenzia and Pseudoalteromonas, were only successfully isolated in Pulau Hantu and Halomonas, and Marinobacter, Pseudomonas and Phaebacter from Pulau Semakau. Overall, the bacterial isolates consisted of proteobacteria and firmicutes, which consists of 60% and 40% of the total number of isolated bacterial strains respectively.
Date Issued
2015
Call Number
QL373.D4 Cha
Date Submitted
2015