Molecular Identification of Spirogyra Species Using rbcL Markers and Their Chemical Compositions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48048/tis.2026.12119Keywords:
Spirogyra, Phylogenetic, Chemical compound, Spirogyra, rbcL markers, Phylogenetic, Chemical compoundAbstract
Spirogyra are green algae that occur widespread in freshwater habitats across northeastern Thailand, yet its species diversity and chemical characteristics remain poorly understood. This study presents a novel integrated approach combining morphological identification, rbcL-based molecular analysis, and chemical profiling (LC-MS and FTIR) to comprehensively characterize Thai Spirogyra species. Six Spirogyra samples were collected from different water resources in Sakon Nakhon province and identified using both morphological characteristics and ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase (rbcL) gene sequences. The sequence data of the rbcL gene was analyzed by using the database of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The results found that 6 Spirogyra samples were able to be identified as 3 Spirogyra submaxima and 1 sample each of S. fluviatilis, S. maxima, and S. chungkingensis. All Spirogyra samples were extracted with ethanol, yielding 6 crude ethanol extracts (SPE1 - SPE6). The chemical compositions were analyzed using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS). LC-MS analysis of the 6 crude ethanol extracts revealed a total of 60 compounds, of which thirty were consistently detected across all Spirogyra samples, while the remaining compounds were specific to individual extracts. In addition, the FTIR profiles of SPE1-SPE6 were examined using the ATR-FTIR technique. The FTIR spectra indicated similar functional groups across samples, with absorption bands attributed to hydroxyl groups, CH₂ and CH₃ stretching vibrations, and carbonyl functionalities. These findings demonstrate that integrating morphological, genetic, and chemical analyses provides a more reliable framework for distinguishing Spirogyra species and reveals locality-specific chemical variation that may be valuable for future biochemical and taxonomic research.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Molecular identification of 6 Spirogyra species was performed using the rbcL marker.
- Morphological characteristics of 6 Spirogyra specimens were described and compared.
- Phylogenetic relationships among 6 Spirogyra samples were constructed using Maximum Likelihood and Neighbor-Joining methods based on the rbcL gene locus.
- Comparative analysis of the chemical compositions of 6 Spirogyra species collected from different water resources was conducted.
GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
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