An electrophoretic survey of the genus Tetraselmis (Chlorophyta, Prasinophyceae)

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Abstract
A survey of the algal genus Tetraselmis (Chlorophyta, Prasinophyceae) was conducted using starch gel enzyme electrophoresis. Thirteen enzyme loci were resolved and scored, of which nine were invariant among strains. Phenotypes at the four variable loci, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase-1, glutamate–oxaloacetic transaminase-2, malate dehydrogenase-1, and peptidase-3, were strongly linked. Two groups, to which 58 of 66 strains were clearly assignable, could be constructed on the basis of the electrophoretic results. These groups do not appear to correlate with ecological, geographic or physiological characters and may have taxonomic significance. A number of strains had electrophoretic phenotypes characteristic of heterozygotes, and presumably were therefore diploid. This could indicate the occurrence of sexual reproduction, heretofore unknown in the class Prasinophyceae.