Genetic diversity analysis of cyanobacteria from acidic rice fields of Manipur, India falling under Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspots

The genetical diversity of morphologically distinct thirty two strains of four cyanobacterial genera (Nostoc, Anabaena, Calothrix and Microchaete) isolated from rice fields of seven different districts of Manipur, India was studied. The identity of strains was confirmed through 16S rRNA gene sequencing and the sequences obtained were deposited in NCBI data bank. The genetic diversity of different genera obtained by STRR PCR fingerprinting technique was correlated to the results of certain morphological features and molecular data (16S rRNA partial sequencing) of the present cyanobacterial species. Cyanobacterial genomic DNA isolated from the different species were used as templates and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fingerprinting with 16S rRNA was performed. The genetic diversity was analysed using short tandemly repeated repetitive (STRR) sequences as primer and PCR fingerprinting patterns were used to evaluate the genetic closeness. Based upon the fingerprinting patterns, the divergence amongst distant strains and closeness in similar strains was clearly understood. Unweighted pair-group method of arithmetic mean (UPGMA) analysis showed an accurate estimate of genetic diversity, and relationships within and amongst all species which correlated with the morphological parameters and 16S sequencing.