The use of 18S ribosomal DNA, ITS and rbcL molecular markers to study the genus Dunaliella (Dunaliellaceae) in Iranian samples: A phylogenetic approach

The microalga Dunaliella has been the focus of attention over recent decades owing to its high biotechnological potential for the production of β-carotene, biofuels and even as a good expression system for the production of recombinant proteins. Different species of this genus have unique features, biological characteristics and biotechnological potential. Therefore, it is necessary to have a clear and reliable taxonomic method to identify different species of Dunaliella. Although several taxonomic systems are available for Dunaliella based on morphological, physiological and molecular features, none of these methods are reliable enough and some controversies exist over different classification systems. In the current study, molecular techniques and bioinformatics tools have been used to re-assess the phylogenetic position of Dunaliella species based on 18S ribosomal DNA (18S rDNA), ITS and rbcL regions. The overall findings based on these markers provide a new and more reliable tool for phylogenetic analysis of Dunaliella species/strains.