18S rRNA gene sequencing of microalgae and other microorganisms in Kuwait bay

The goal of the project was to isolate indigenous microalgae for the production of animal feed and high-value co-products. One of the main objectives of this study is to identify microalgae and other marine microbes from various sampling stations of Kuwait bay in order to develop a baseline information source. Next-generation sequencing-based approach was used to sequence 18S rRNA gene and study the changes in the population of various taxa across different sampling stations during two seasons (summer and winter). The sampling stations were carefully chosen to represent algal populations in polluted and unpolluted zones of Kuwait bay. Stations KA and KB are located in the north of Kuwait in a region that receives runoff from the Shatt Al-Arab river. Both these stations have moderate levels of human activity. In these sites, the salinity is comparatively low during spring and early summer. Station KC and K6 are located in the Kuwait bay, which is more prone to anthropogenic activities and receives a large amount of municipal waste from Kuwait city, effluents from various industrial units, power and desalination plants, and vessels entering Kuwait port. Stations K3 and K18 have relatively clean water and are located in the open Gulf. Station K18 is the farthest from the shore, and the least impacted station by the human activities among all stations. All stations are shallow, with the water depth ranging from 5 m at station B to 29 m at station K18. The seawater temperature ranged from 17.5 to 30-degree Celsius and the average salinity varied between 38 to 44 parts per thousand (ppt) during the winter to the summer season.