Fieldable Environmental DNA Sequencing to Assess Jellyfish Biodiversity in Nearshore Waters of the Florida Keys, United States

Recent advances in molecular sequencing technology and the increased availability of fieldable laboratory equipment have provided researchers with the opportunity to conduct real-time or near real-time gene-based biodiversity assessments of aquatic ecosystems. In this study, we developed a workflow...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Frontiers in Marine Science 2021-04, Vol.8
Main Authors: Ames, Cheryl Lewis, Ohdera, Aki H., Colston, Sophie M., Collins, Allen G., Fitt, William K., Morandini, André C., Erickson, Jeffrey S., Vora, Gary J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aquariums
Aquatic ecosystems
Biodiversity
Chemical analysis
Coastal waters
conservation
Cryptic species
Cubozoa
Cytochromes
Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA
DNA sequences
DNA sequencing
Ecosystem assessment
Ecosystems
eDNA
Endemic species
envenomation
Environmental DNA
Homogenization
Introduced species
Laboratories
Laboratory equipment
Marine invertebrates
Membrane filters
Mitochondria
Nucleotide sequence
portable lab kit
rRNA 16S
Seawater
Stings
Surveys
Taxa
upside-down jellyfish
Venom
Water analysis
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Summary:Recent advances in molecular sequencing technology and the increased availability of fieldable laboratory equipment have provided researchers with the opportunity to conduct real-time or near real-time gene-based biodiversity assessments of aquatic ecosystems. In this study, we developed a workflow and portable kit for fieldable environmental DNA sequencing (FeDS) and tested its efficacy by characterizing the breadth of jellyfish (Medusozoa) taxa in the coastal waters of the Upper and Lower Florida Keys. Environmental DNA was isolated from seawater collection events at eight sites and samples were subjected to medusozoan 16S rRNA gene and metazoan mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 gene profiling via metabarcoding onsite. In total, FeDS yielded 175,326 processed sequence reads providing evidence for 53 medusozoan taxa. Our most salient findings revealed eDNA from: (1) two venomous box jellyfish (Cubozoa) species, including taxa whose stings cause the notorious Irukandji envenomation syndrome; (2) two species of potentially introduced stalked jellyfish (Staurozoa); and (3) a likely cryptic species of upside-down jellyfish (Scyphozoa). Taken together, the results of this study highlight the merits of FeDS in conducting biodiversity surveys of endemic and introduced species, and as a potential tool for assessing envenomation and/or conservation-related threats.
ISSN:2296-7745
2296-7745
DOI:10.3389/fmars.2021.640527