Browsing by Author "Bircan, Rifat"

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Morphology and Molecular Phylogeny of Blepharisma Hyalinum Perty, 1849 (Ciliophora, Heterotrichida) Isolated From Soil
(Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam Univ Rektorlugu, 2025) Senler, Naciye Gulkiz; Yildiz, Ismail; Ural, Hilal; Bircan, Rifat
In this study, two successive populations of Blepharisma were observed in cultures prepared from soil samples collected from Tekirda & gbreve; (T & uuml;rkiye). The cells and cysts belonging to these populations were examined morphologically and morphometrically, and their phylogenetic positions were determined based on SSU rDNA gene sequences. Both populations were morphometrically very similar to each other, but population 1, the initial population observed in soil cultures, had a pyriform body that was inflexible and rigid while population 2, observed subsequent to the disappearance of population 1, exhibited a flexible, fragile, lanceolate body. In addition, the cell width/length ratios of both populations were found to be statistically different from each other. However, since the SSU rDNA nucleotide sequences of both populations are very similar to each other and to other B. hyalinum populations described previously, it is concluded that the observed Blepharisma populations represent different morphotypes of B. hyalinum. It has been hypothesised that the observed morphological differences may result from diet, environmental factors, and variations in the life stages of the cultured cells. Comparison of SSU rDNA nucleotide sequences of Blepharisma populations and phylogenetic analyses showed that the nucleotide sequences of some different species are identical or very similar. To clarify this chaotic situation, extensive molecular data based on detailed morphological studies on Blepharisma populations are necessary.
A New Approach To Dna Isolation From Dileptid Ciliates (Ciliophora: Litostomatea: Rhynchostomatia)
(inst Zoology, Bas, 2020) Ural, Hilal; Bircan, Rifat; Aral, Cenk; Yildiz, Ismail; Senler, Naciye Gulkiz
Molecular diagnostic methods have been used to supplement morphological methods in taxonomy. In this study, we used molecular methods to diagnose populations of dileptid ciliates, which commonly occur in terrestrial and semi-terrestrial habitats. Molecular investigations based on the comparison of DNA sequences have been carried out with a limited number of ciliate species due to insufficient genomic DNA for PCR because of their small population size and difficulties to maintain monocultures. The present study shows that there is a loss of DNA with conventional methods and proposes a novel approach: cells (stored at -20 degrees C or fresh) are directly subjected to PCR, without being processed by any chemical treatment. The small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) (18S rRNA gene) of dileptid ciliates was successfully amplified by direct PCR, without DNA extraction, for single-cell and multi-cell samples. This method has been found to be simpler and especially useful for species that are rare and have small population sizes.