Molecular detection and quantification of the azaspiracid-producing dinoflagellate Amphidoma languida (Amphidomataceae, Dinophyceae)

Species of the planktonic dinoflagellates Azadinium and Amphidoma are small, inconspicuous and difficult, if not impossible to be identified and differentiated by light microscopy. Within this group, there are some species that produce the marine biotoxin azaspiracid (AZA) while others are non-toxigenic, therefore a requirement exists for precise species identification. A quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay for molecular detection and quantification of one of the toxigenic species, Amphidoma languida, was designed and extensively tested. The assay was highly specific and sensitive to detect and quantify down to 10 target gene copies (corresponding to ca. 0.05 cells) per reaction. DNA cell quota and copy number cell−1 were constant for four different Am. languida strains, and for one strain they were shown to be stable at various time points throughout the growth cycle. Recovery of known cell numbers of Am. languida spiked into natural samples was 95–103%, and the assay was successfully tested on field samples collected from Irish coastal waters. This new qPCR assay is a valuable tool for routine monitoring for the prevention of AZA-shellfish-poisoning caused by the consumption of contaminated shellfish and is a supportive tool for studies on the biogeography of this AZA-producing species