Chloroplast DNA content in Dinophysis (Dinophyceae) from different cell cycle stages is consistent with kleptoplasty.

Kleptoplasty is the retention of plastids obtained from ingested algal prey, which can remain temporarily functional and be used for photosynthesis by the predator. With a new approach based on cell cycle analysis, we have addressed the question of whether the toxic, bloom-forming dinoflagellate Dinophysis norvegica practice kleptoplasty or if they replicate their own plastid DNA. Dividing (G2) and non-dividing (G1) D.

Genetic analyses of Dinophysis spp. support kleptoplastidy.

The question of whether the toxin-producing and bloom-forming dinoflagellate genus Dinophysis contains plastids that are permanent or contains temporary so-called kleptoplastids is still unresolved. We sequenced plastid 16S rRNA gene, the complete trnA gene and the intergenic transcribed spacer region located between the trnA gene and the 23S rRNA gene, and performed diagnostic PCR on cells of the genus Dinophysis. Dinophysis spp.