CHARACTERIZATION OF 2 NEW THERMOACIDOPHILIC MICROALGAE - GENOME ORGANIZATION AND COMPARISON WITH GALDIERIA-SULPHURARIA

Thermoacidophilic algae (Cyanidiaceae) constitute a taxonomic group wi th interesting phylogenetic and ecological implications. In this repor t, we have classified three thermoacidophilic microalgal isolates from Rio Tinto (Spain) using a combination of classical analysis of phenot ypic features and the characterization of their electrophoretically de termined karyotypes by means of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Usin g this technique, we have been able to demonstrate that thermoacidophi lic algae genomes have the smallest genomes of all photosynthetic euka ryotes studied so far. In addition, we show that two of these Rio Tint o isolates may constitute new species within the genus Galdieria.