Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Article
Published: 2017-02-03
Page range: 60–70
Abstract views: 23
PDF downloaded: 1

Asterochloris sejongensis sp. nov. (Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyta) from King George Island, Antarctica

Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources, Sangju 37242, Korea.
Division of Polar Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, 21990, Korea Department of Polar Sciences, University of Science and Technology, Incheon 406-840, Korea​
Division of Polar Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, 21990, Korea
Division of Polar Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, 21990, Korea Department of Polar Sciences, University of Science and Technology, Incheon 406-840, Korea​
Chungnam National University
Antarctica Asterochloris phycobiont phylogeny ultrastructure Algae

Abstract

The new species Asterochloris sejongensis sp. nov. has been collected from four localities of King George Island, Antarctica, and is described as a phycobiont of the lichen species Cladonia pyxidata and Sphaerophorus globosus. This discovery is based on morphological and molecular data obtained using light microscopy, confocal laser microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and two molecular markers; nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA and actin genes. This species is characterized by five unique hemi-CBCs in the nuclear ITS transcripts, deeply lobed and echinulate chloroplasts (depending on the life stage), and two rows of pyrenoglobuli associated with two thylakoid envelopes. A molecular phylogenetic analysis of the ITS and actin gene sequences indicated that this new species is closely related to A. woessiae and forms a distinct well-supported lineage with the genus.