Student Seminar/Thesis Defense
The ecological significance of nasA diversity in marine heterotrophic bacteria

Seminar Title: The ecological significance of nasA diversity in marine heterotrophic bacteria   Presented by:  Denis Wafula, M.Sc. Student, Savannah State University When:   Tuesday, March 25, 2008  @  8:30 AM   Where:   Marine Biology Building, Savannah State University

Posted: 2008/03/20 10:30:05

SkIO Seminar Series
Turtle barnacle diversity, biogeography and life history

Seminar Title: Turtle barnacle diversity, biogeography and life history   Presented by:  Michael G. Frick, Caretta Research Project, Savannah, Georgia When:   Friday, March 21, 2008  @  10:00 AM   Where:   SkIO Library Auditorium   Summary:    Approximately one dozen species of barnacles occur as obligate epibionts of sea turtles.  Because they associate with a migratory animal they are found worldwide; yet, are not well documented due to their obscure life mode and the elusive nature of their hosts.  Many turtle barnacles are small and live embedded in the tissue of turtles, concealing distinct differences in form and attachment mechanism.  Geographic boundaries remain uncertain for many species but some appear to be limited to certain ocean basins or particular geographic regions.  Morphological distinctions among the various species will be presented and their occurrence discussed relative to host species, location on the host, and geographic region.  Gaps and anomalies in the record will be reported and directions for further investigation will be identified.  Implications of intertwined turtle behavior and barnacle life-histories for the biology of both host and commensal will be discussed.

Posted: 2008/03/12 09:42:47

SkIO Seminar Series
Can water from the Savannah River negatively impact phytoplankton growth?

Seminar Title: Can water from the Savannah River negatively impact phytoplankton growth?   Presented by:  Karin Biller, SkIO Intern, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Department of Biotechnology When:   Friday, February 29, 2008  @  10:00 AM   Where:   SkIO Library Auditorium   Summary:    Previous work revealed a lower abundance of picophytoplankton in the highly developed Savannah River compared to the more pristine Altamaha.  We hypothesized this is due to differences in water quality.  To verify this hypothesis and to exclude physical and geological factors that could affect phytoplankton growth, a modified version of the Landry-Hassett dilution technique was performed.  This involved mixing particle free water from the Savannah River with unfiltered water from the Skidaway River estuary.  In-situ incubation showed Synechococcus growth rates of µ24=1.18d-1 and a mortality of m24=0.88d-1 in the Skidaway River control.  There were no significant differences in phytoplankton growth rates within 24 hours.  However, Synechococcus, Cryptophyta and Pico Eukaryote cell numbers dropped significantly when treated with water from the Savannah River during a longer incubation.  Larger Eukaryotes and Rhodophyta seem not to be affected. As physical, geological and biological parameters have been equal for all treatments we conclude that the Savannah River must contain something negatively influencing the abundance of Synechococcus and some other small phytoplankton.  The complexity of the estuarine ecosystem and the numerous factors controlling Synechococcus abundance do not allow us to be more specific at this point, although metal contamination is one possibility.

Posted: 2008/02/25 11:03:13

SkIO Seminar Series
Gene targeted PCR based diagnostic research of crustacean parasites

Seminar Title: Gene targeted PCR based diagnostic research of crustacean parasites   Presented by:  David Oelsner, SkIO Intern, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Department of Biotechnology When:   Thursday, February 21, 2008  @  3:00 PM   Where:   SkIO Library Auditorium   Summary:    In this seminar Oelsner will present the results of his 6-month internship at the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography.  The general focus of his project was to develop, apply, and further investigate parasitic infections of blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) populations in waters from coastal Georgia, USA using a novel suite of molecular diagnostic assays.  The primary objective of this study was to develop a new specific PCR assay for detecting the kinetoplastid parasite Procryptobia sorokini.  This organism, previously described only as a free living species, was detected previously as a hemolymph parasite in a crab collected from Wassaw Sound, Georgia in 2004.  A second objective was to develop a new molecular discovery assay for fungal and oomycete blue crab parasites.  The focus of the presentation will be on the investigation of Procrytobia parasites in Georgia blue crabs.  A Procryptobia sorokini-specific PCR assay targeted to the 18S rRNA gene was developed.  The assay was highly specific and sensitive.  Using this assay 293 archived blue crab hemolymph samples collected from 2000 – 2007 (genomic DNA purified from hemolymph) were screened for the presence of this parasite.  The presence of this parasite was confirmed by PCR and subsequent sequencing in 13 additional crabs.  All the infected crabs were collected during a 3 month period from April – June 2004.  These results confirm the presence of this parasite in Georgia blue crab populations and suggest that Kinetoplastid infections are highly episodic.  Interestingly, none of the crabs infected with this parasite were co-infected with the parasitic dinoflagellate Hematodinium sp. that was also present in blue crab populations during this time period.  To facilitate future routine monitoring of this parasite, a multi-plex PCR assay that allows the simultaneous detection of both Procryptobia sorokini and Hematodinum sp. was developed.  The multi-plex assay was as effective in detecting the presence of both parasites as were the individual assays.  This assay will be used in the future to simultaneously monitor for both parasites.

Posted: 2008/02/13 15:43:19