DNA Barcoding Techniques for Protists

The study of free-living protist populations in soil is gaining momentum due to their crucial role in soil ecosystems, particularly in carbon and nitrogen cycles. Nevertheless, there are notable gaps in our understanding of the abundance and functions of protists in soil. When it comes to assessing soil microorganisms, DNA extraction from environmental samples is a standard practice. However, soil eukaryotic microbes, particularly protists, have not received as much attention as other microorganisms. A similar-looking but genetically different organism cannot be distinguished by phenotypic features alone. Molecular biology tools such as DNA barcoding enable the identification of different organisms based on their genetics. This protocol chapter deals with general procedures for the sample collection, and morpho-molecular identification of protist which helps in building the DNA barcoding library of known species of protists. Eventually, this makes it easy for knowing the diversity and to study the applications of protists widespread.