Cyanobacteria in Waterbodies of the Biggest Anthropogenic Agglomeration: Combined DNA Metabarcoding, Microscopy, and Culture Analysis
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study describes the results of integrative analysis of cyanobacterial communities in waterbodies of Moscow, Russia. 16S rRNA V3–V4 metabarcoding and light microscopy are implemented to investigate the diversity, abundance, and distribution of cyanobacteria, including the representatives of potentially toxigenic taxa—Anabaena, Aphanizomenon, Dolichospermum, Microcystis, and Planktothrix. High convergence is observed between microscopy and metabarcoding data for dominant genera, including Microcystis and Planktothrix. Sequence verification reveals total (100%) similarity between previously isolated toxigenic strains (e.g., Microcystis aeruginosa CBMC403m and CBMC523m) and corresponding highly abundant ASVs. In addition, current study ascertains the efficiency of metabarcoding for detection of rare cyanobacterial taxa missed by microscopy. We hereby acknowledge the limitations of V3–V4 16S rRNA-based metabarcoding approach for region species-level resolution and distinguishing potentially toxigenic taxa of cyanobacteria. At the same time, our findings validate metabarcoding as a rapid and reliable tool for monitoring of CyanoHABs in urban water ecosystems.
Source: Phycology
Authors: Elena Kezlya, Elina Mironova, Ekaterina Voyakina, Sergey Kravchenko, Andrei Mironov, Vasilii Kuzmin, Ekaterina Chernova, Anton Iurmanov, Yevhen Maltsev, Maxim Kulikovskiy
Language: English
Subfield: Environmental Chemistry
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,207
Funder: Russian Science Foundation
Award: G6173877283
OpenAlex ID: W7115707437