Isolation and killing activities of algicidal bacteria on a diatom Skeletonema sp. and a dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans in Thailand

Abstract

An attempt of this study is to isolate and to investigate the algicidal bacteria that can be against the harmful algal blooms (HAB) and have killing activity by which bacteria are associated with the events and kill their target algal species. Culture of each 20 bacterial isolates from the coastal waters in Chonburi Province in the Gulf of Thailand grew with some algal bloom species such as a marine diatom, Skeletonema sp., and a dinoflagellate, Noctiluca scintillans under controlled laboratory condition. Two bacterial isolates showed antagonistic ability that they killed HAB species kept in the same culture chamber. The algicidal bacteria caused cell lysis of algal bloom species. This study is the first report of bacteria infecting and causing lysis of a dinoflagellate, Noctiluca scintillans and a diatom Skeletonema sp.