Molecular response of Sargassum vulgare to acidified waters in natural CO2 vents – Insights from de novo transcriptomic analysis. Sargassum vulgare

Sargassum is one of the most diverse brown algal genus with more than 150 known species, mostly benthic and few pelagic species. They contribute significantly to global primary production and serve as important habitat for wide range of marine organisms. Sargassum vulgare is one of the dominant habitat forming species along Mediterranean coast. Despite their huge ecological importance, it is relatively unknown how they will respond under future global climate change scenario. This work used de novo transcriptome sequencing approach to understand the molecular response of S. vulgare to chronic acidification at the shallow underwater volcanic CO2 vents off Ischia Island, Italy. Keywords: brown algae, Sargassum, de novo transcriptome, ocean acidification, CO2 vents. Overall design: In total six cDNA libraries (obtained each from pool of three S. vulgare thalli growing under the acidified conditions, and three cDNA libraries, obtained each from pool of three thalli growing in the normal conditions) were multiplexed and sequenced in a single lane of Illumina 1000 flow cell.