Community composition of picoeukaryotes during Noctiluca and Mesodinium bloom Targeted loci environmental

To study the community composition of picoeukaryotes during successive Noctiluca and Mesodinium blooms, 500 mL surface water samples were collected from Port Shelter, Hong Kong, pre-filtered through a 200 µm mesh, and further filtered through a 3.0 µm (47 mm) polycarbonate membrane (PALL Corporation). Then water samples were filtered onto a 0.22 µm (47 mm) polycarbonate membrane for DNA extraction (GE Water and Process Technologies), using a vacuum pump at 0.034 bar Hg or below. The filters were flash frozen and stored at -80ºC until DNA extraction. Samples were then studied using 454-pyrosequencing