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Traces Of Possible Ancient Life From Mars To Earth: An Assessment Of The
Microbial Ecology Of Salda Lake And Its Protection

a) b)

Figure 9. (a) Environmental DNA - metabarcoding sampling at Otel önü sampling point.
From left to right, İÜ- Assoc.Dr. Emine Gözde Özbayram, BÜ- Prof.Dr. Bahar Ince, Ministry of
Environment and Urbanization- Nevin Kurt. (b) Environmental DNA - metabarcoding sampling
at the Kayadibi sampling point. From left to right, İTÜ- Prof. Dr. Orhan Ince, İÜ- Assoc.Dr. Emine
Gözde Bayram (Retrieved from İnce, 2021).
In the scope of the project, DNA isolation techniques were optimised
depending on the sample type (biofilm taken from water, sediment, microbial
mat, rocks), and various DNA isolation protocols were developed specifically for
Salda Lake. Illumina MiseqTM device, a new generation sequencing platform,
was used for analysing the samples for prokaryortic community characterisation
with 16S rRNA Sequencing and eukaryotic community characterisation with
18S rRNA Sequencing. Obtained raw data was classified according to their
taxonomy by using bioinformatics softwares and their diversity indices
were calculated. In addition, biostatistical calculations were made and the
relationship between the samples was revealed (Ince et al., 2021).
A microbial ecological map of the lake was created using the obtained
data and it was revealed that Salda Lake should be absolutely preserved. As
a result of the advanced molecular analyses (metabarcoding) by ITU-BOUN
Microbial Ecology Group (MEG; www.meg.boun.edu.tr) on the samples taken
from Salda Lake, microbial species belonging to Salda Lake were detected
and certain data were produced that will allow patenting them.

Results and Discussion

Samples collected from different surfaces such as biofilms from water,
sediment, microbial mat, rocks and sterile samples from the deep section
from 14 different stations in 6 different regions of Salda Lake were processed
by means of special DNA isolation techniques using various protocols.
These samples were further analysed through internationally recognized new
generation sequencing systems and metabarcoding. Microbiological analysis
of the samples taken from different regions were evaluated among themselves
as well as by taking into account the winter (March 2021) and summer (August
2021) seasons. In addition, the samples were analyzed using both 16S ribosomal
RNA and 18S ribosomal RNA sequencing methods in a way to allow detecting

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