Cloning and characterization of proliferating cell nuclear antigen gene of Alexandrium catenella (Dinoflagellate) with respect to cell growth

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have been affecting negatively the shellfish and aquaculture industries around the world. Though a lot of efforts have been made to disclose the changes of environmental factors involved and their effects on the HABs events, the molecular mechanism of this process remains unclear. To address this problem, proliferating cell nuclear antigen gene (pcna) was isolated and characterized from Alexandrium catenella. It showed high homology to those of other dinoflagellates (89% and 91% homology to Pfiesteria piscicid and Pyrocystis lunula, respectively), and also 42%-43% homology to those of plant and animals. The expression level of pcna revealed by quantitative real time PCR was the lowest at the late lagging cell growth phase, increased to the highest at the late exponential phase, and then decreased at the stationary phase. Though the cell growth rate was also changing, no positive correlation between pcna expression level and cell growth rate was displayed throughout the whole cell growth stages (r²=0.024 6). However, the pcna expression level had the similar trend with the change of cell growth rate throughout the whole growing process, e.g., from increasing at the earlier cell growth stage to decreasing at the following stages, though slightly lagging to the latter.