ABSTRACT
For harmful algal bloom (HAB) research, signifi cant advances have been made towards the development of rapid, specifi c and sensitive identifi cation of microalgal species. Regard to the limitations of classical methods, advances in molecular methodologies for the determination and quantifi cation of microalgal complex diversity in marine natural environments have been carried out (Godhe et al. 2007, Medlin and Kooistra 2010). Molecular diagnostic tools, such as quantitative real-time PCR, FISH (fl uorescence in situ hybridization), SHA (sandwich hybridization assays), or micro-arrays, are being introduced into HAB research programs providing reliable and fast identifi cation and quantifi cation methods of target toxic species. In fact,
1Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Section of Environmental Biology, University of Urbino, Viale Trieste 296, 61121, Pesaro (PU) Italy. Email: antonella.penna@uniurb.it 2Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Section of Biotechnology, University of Urbino, Via T. Campanella 1, 61039 Fano (PU) Italy. Email: luca.galluzzi@uniurb.it *Corresponding author
innovative methods for accurately detecting HAB species are becoming crucial for monitoring programs of marine coastal ecosystems. They can offer advantages to understand the HAB species presence, distribution and dispersion mechanism, and simplify the management of the risks posed to human health, marine ecosystem and related economic activities.
