Interactions between harmful algae and calanoid copepods in the Baltic Sea

The aim of the studies reported in this thesis was to examine the feeding interactions between calanoid copepods and toxic algae in the Baltic Sea. The central questions in this research concerned the feeding, survival and egg production of copepods exposed to toxic algae. Furthermore, the importance of copepods as vectors in toxin transfer was examined. The haptophyte Prymnesium parvum, which produces extracellular toxins, was the only studied species that directly harmed copepods. Beside this, it had allelopathic effects (cell lysis) on non-toxic Rhodomonas salina. Copepods that were exposed to P. parvum filtrates died or became severely impaired, although filtrates were not haemolytic (indicative of toxicity in this study). Monospecific Prymnesium cell suspensions, in turn, were haemolytic and copepods in these treatments became inactive, although no clear effect on mortality was detected. These results suggest that haemolytic activity may not be a good proxy of the harmful effects of P. parvum. In addition, P. parvum deterred feeding, and low egestion and suppressed egg production were consequently observed in monospecific suspensions of Prymnesium. Similarly, ingestion and faecal pellet production rates were suppressed in high concentration P. parvum filtrates and in mixtures of P. parvum and R. salina. These results indicate that the allelopathic effects of P. parvum on other algal species together with lowered viability as well as suppressed production of copepods may contribute to bloom formation and persistence. Furthermore, the availability of food for planktivorous animals may be affected due to reduced copepod productivity. Nodularin produced by Nodularia spumigena was transferred to Eurytemora affinis via grazing on filaments of small N. spumigena and by direct uptake from the dissolved pool. Copepods also acquired nodularin in fractions where N. spumigena filaments were absent. Thus, the importance of microbial food webs in nodularin transfer should be considered. Copepods were able to remove particulate nodularin from the system, but at the same time a large proportion of the nodularin disappeared. This indicates that copepods may possess effective mechanisms to remove toxins from their tissues. The importance of microorganisms, such as bacteria, in the degradation of cyanobacterial toxins could also be substantial. Our results were the first reports of the accumulation of diarrhetic shellfish toxins (DSTs) produced by Dinophysis spp. in copepods. The PTX2 content in copepods after feeding experiments corresponded to the ingestion of <100 Dinophysis spp. cells. However, no DSTs were recorded from field-collected copepods. Dinophysis spp. was not selected by the copepods and consumption remained low. It seems thus likely that copepods are an unimportant link in the transfer of DSTs in the northern Baltic Sea.

Harmful algal blooms in coastal waters: options for prevention, control and mitigation

This report is the product of a panel of experts in the science of blooms of unicellular marine algae which can cause mass mortalities in a variety of marine organisms and cause illness and even death in humans who consume contaminated seafood. These phenomena are collectively termed harmful algal blooms or HABs for short. As a counterpart to recent assessments of the priorities for scientific research to understand the causes and behavior of HABs, this assessment addressed the management options for reducing their incidence and extent (prevention), actions that can quell or contain blooms (control), and steps to reduce the losses of resources or economic values and minimize human health risks (mitigation). This assessment is limited to an appraisal of scientific understanding, but also reflects consideration of information and perspectives provided by regional experts, agency managers and user constituencies during three regional meetings. The panel convened these meetings during the latter half of 1996 to solicit information and opinions from scientific experts, agency managers and user constituencies in Texas, Washington, and Florida. The panel's assessment limited its attention to those HABs that result in neurotoxic shellfish poisoning, paralytic shellfish poisoning, brown tides, amnesic shellfish poisoning, and aquaculture fish kills. This covers most, but certainly not all, HAB problems in the U.S.

中国沿海典型区域织纹螺毒性及毒素成分研究

织纹螺（Nassarius spp.）味道鲜美，是中国及其它一些亚洲国家沿海地区居民习惯食用的一种水产品。但是，近几十年来，中国沿海频繁发生食用织纹螺中毒事件，严重威胁着人们的身体健康和生命安全。加之人们对织纹螺体内的毒素成分、来源及其毒性变化规律还没有清晰的认识，因此难以有效预防和控制食用织纹螺引起的中毒事件。本文根据文献报道，在中国沿海食用织纹螺中毒事件多发的典型区域，包括江苏省的连云港市和盐城市、浙江省的舟山市和宁波市、福建省的宁德市、厦门市和莆田市设立了监测点，于2006年和2007年间进行了连续采样，应用小鼠生物测试法调查了织纹螺毒性的消长情况，并利用高效液相色谱-质谱联用（Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry，LC-MS）和高效液相色谱技术（High Performance Liquid Chromatography，HPLC）对织纹螺体内的毒素成分进行了分析。 实验结果表明，2006年于江苏省盐城市射阳海域采集的织纹螺样品中，阳性样品检出率为56%，毒性在2-5 MU/g组织（湿重）之间变化，在2007年于同地采集的8个样品中，除一个样品毒性为3.14 MU/g组织（湿重）以外，其余样品均表现为阴性；而2007年采集自连云港市赣榆海域的织纹螺样品，在采样期间则呈现出极高的毒性，最高达到846.52 MU/g 组织（湿重），毒性在监测期间呈“M”状波动，在5月和7月下旬出现两个毒性高峰。2006年于浙江省宁波市象山港采集的织纹螺样品中，阳性样品检出率为25%，毒性均在2.5 MU/g组织（湿重）左右；而同年采集自舟山市定海的织纹螺样品中，阳性样品检出率为100%，最高毒性达18.40 MU/g组织（湿重），毒性在监测期间也呈“M”状波动，高峰期出现在6月初和7月底。2006年3-9月采集自福建省宁德霞浦、厦门同安和莆田涵江采集的织纹螺样品中，阳性样品检出率分别为20%、43%和14%，除7月中旬采集自宁德霞浦的一个样品毒性达到16.19 MU/g组织（湿重）之外，其余样品毒性均在2-5 MU/g组织（湿重）间波动。从阳性样品的时间分布规律来看，3月份和6、7月份是阳性样品集中出现的时期。根据以上调查结果可以看出，织纹螺的毒性消长呈现出较明显的地域性和季节性特征，不同地区的织纹螺毒性存在差异，而同一区域织纹螺毒性的消长则表现出明显的季节性集中趋势。除了2007年采集自连云港赣榆的织纹螺样品毒性与其平均个体组织重量有相似的变化趋势以外，其余地区的织纹螺样品毒性和个体大小无明显相关性。 利用LC-MS和HPLC技术对织纹螺样品中的毒素成分进行了分析，确定河豚毒素（tetrodotoxin, TTX）及其同系物（trideoxyTTX，4-epi-TTX，anhydroTTX，oxoTTX）是所采集织纹螺中的主要致毒成分，样品中没有检测到麻痹性贝毒毒素（Paralytic Shellfish Poison, PSP）。自不同地区采集的织纹螺中毒素成分基本一致，但组成存在一定差异。其中，采自江苏省连云港赣榆和浙江省舟山定海的织纹螺样品中，trideoxyTTX是主要的成分，其次是TTX；而从其它采样地点采集的织纹螺中，TTX都是主要的毒素成分，其次才是trideoxyTTX及其它同系物。对采集自江苏省连云港赣榆和浙江舟山定海的织纹螺体内毒素的解剖学分布进行了分析，结果表明肌肉、消化腺和剩余部分中的毒素组成基本一致，其中trideoxyTTX是主要的毒素成分，其次为TTX，但采自浙江舟山的织纹螺剩余部分中的TTX是主要的毒素成分。在监测期间，各组织中的毒素组成没有明显变化，但毒素含量随季节变化表现出了一定的差异。 综上所述，在中国沿海典型区域开展的织纹螺毒性调查结果表明其毒性消长具有一定的地域性和季节性特征。分析结果显示织纹螺体内的毒素成分是河豚毒素及其同系物，采自不同区域的织纹螺体内毒素成分基本一致，但毒素组成稍有差异。对织纹螺中毒素的解剖学分布研究显示，各组织中的毒素含量随季节变化而表现出一定差异，但毒素组成没有明显的季节性变化。这些结果显示中国沿海的织纹螺应具有相似的毒素来源，研究结果将为相关部门有效监测、预防和控制食用织纹螺中毒事件提供有力的科学依据。

麻痹性贝毒毒素的制备和活性研究

麻痹性贝毒（Paralytic Shellfish Poisons, PSP）毒素主要是由海洋甲藻产生的一类活性物质，在赤潮毒素监测、神经与分子生物学基础研究以及新型药物开发方面都有潜在的应用价值。然而，纯化毒素的缺乏在很大程度上限制了相关工作的开展。本文通过大量培养塔玛亚历山大藻（Alexandrium tamarense）来提取PSP毒素，完善了毒素的分离纯化过程，并对纯化毒素的活性进行了研究和探讨。在实验室进行了塔玛亚历山大藻的规模培养，对其生长和培养条件进行了优化，探讨了有毒藻大量培养的采收方式，并获取了一批用于纯化毒素的有毒藻细胞。将藻细胞破碎后离心分离，提取出含PSP的粗毒素，再用大孔径凝胶过滤去除粗毒素中的大部分杂质，然后用小孔径凝胶和离子交换树脂将不同毒素逐级分离、纯化。结果表明，大孔径凝胶能有效地去除粗毒素中的杂质，小孔径凝胶过滤能将膝沟藻毒素（GTX）和C毒素分开，应用离子交换树脂能将GTX2,3和GTX1,4分开，最终得到GTX2,3和GTX1,4的纯化产品。分离纯化过程始终以小鼠法和荧光法进行毒素在线监测。以提取的毒素对小鼠进行毒性测试，小鼠呈现典型的PSP毒素中毒死亡症状；电生理分析的结果表明PSP毒素能够有效地阻断小鼠运动神经末梢钠电流，并可逆地阻断NG108-15全细胞的钠电流，与PSP毒素的作用机理一致；高效液相色谱分析结果表明，纯化毒素与标准毒素的保留时间完全一致；经质谱分析，纯化毒素与标准毒素具有相同的分子离子峰和碎片离子峰。应用运动模型研究了纯化毒素的药理活性。分别采用家兔椎管麻醉法、小白鼠热板法、小白鼠攀网法研究了GTX2,3对家兔的局麻作用、对小鼠的镇痛和肌松作用。结果表明，GTX2,3按剂量0.4μg STX equivalent/kg给予家兔椎管注射时，具有显著的局麻作用。GTX2,3按剂量5.99μg STX equivalent/kg给予小鼠肌肉注射时，具有显著的镇痛作用。GTX2,3按剂量6.49μg STX equivalent/kg给予小鼠皮下注射时，具有显著的肌松作用。

Microbial modulation in the biomass and toxin production of a red-tide causing alga

The effect of S-10, a strain of marine bacteria isolated from sediment in the Western Xiamen Sea, on the growth and paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) production in the alga Alexandrium tamarense (A. tamarense) was studied under controlled experimental conditions. The results of these experiments have shown that the growth of A. tamarense is obviously inhibited by S-10 at high concentrations, however no evident effect on its growth was observed at low concentrations. Its PSP production was also inhibited by S 10 at different concentrations, especially at low concentrations. The toxicity of this strain of A. tamarense is about (0.9512.14) x 10(-6) MU/cell, a peak toxicity value of 12.14 x 10(-6) MU/cell appeared on the 14th day, after which levels decreased gradually. The alga grew well in conditions of pH 6-8 and salinities of 20-34 parts per thousand. The toxicity of the alga varied markedly at different pH and salinity levels. Toxicity decreased as pH increased, while it increased with salinity and reached a peak value at a salinity of 30 parts per thousand, after which it declined gradually. S-10 at a concentration of 1.02 x 10(9) cells/ml inhibited growth and the PSP production of A. tamarense at different pH and salinity levels. S-10 had the strongest inhibitory function on the growth of A. tamarense under conditions of pH 7 and a salinity of 34 parts per thousand. The best inhibitory effect on PSP production by A. tamarense was at pH 7, this inhibitory effect on PSP production did not relate to salinity. Interactions between marine bacteria and A. tamarense were also investigated using the flow cytometer technique (FCM) as well as direct microscope counting. S-10 was identitied as being a member of the genus Bacillus, the difference in 16S rDNA between S-10 and Bacillus halmapalus was only 2%. The mechanism involved in the inhibition of growth and PSP production of A. tamarense by this strain of marine bacteria, and the prospect of using it and other marine bacteria in the biocontrol of red-tides was discussed. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of the dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense on early development of the scallop Argopecten irradians concentricus

The effects of Alexandrium tamarense (strain ATHK) on early development of the bay scallop Argopecten irradians concentricus were studied under laboratory conditions. The algal culture was verified by HPLC to produce paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) at a level of 37.48 fmol/cell. Survival of the scallop larvae was not affected when they were grown with A. tamarense at concentrations of 500-10,000 cells/ml for 48 h. However, the activity of D-shape larvae was inhibited after 48-h exposure to A. tamarense at the algal cell density of 10,000 cells/ml. Scallop growth was inhibited significantly by A. tantarense during a 14-day exposure starting at the eye-spot larval stage. The size of juvenile scallops in the group of 10,000 cells/ml was only about 32% of that of the controls, although no obvious effect of A. tamarense was found on the rate of larval metamorphosis. All juvenile scallops survived in algal concentrations of 600-2400 cells/ml, however, attachment rates were significantly lower than control values after a 5-h exposure to A. tamarense at concentrations >600 cells/ml, while they were not obviously reduced after only 1 h of exposure. At concentrations >600 cells/ml, the climbing ability of juveniles was clearly reduced by exposure to A. tamarense after only 1 h. The climbing rate and height were only 55% and 45%, respectively, of those of the controls, when exposed to A. tantarense at a concentration of 600 cells/ml. The results indicated that A. tamarense blooms may have detrimental impacts on shellfish at early life stages, therefore, special attention should be paid to the toxic algal blooms in shellfish breeding area. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Proteomics Identification of Azaspiracid Toxin Biomarkers in Blue Mussels, Mytilus edulis

Azaspiracids are a class of recently discovered algae-derived shellfish toxins. Their distribution globally is on the increase with mussels being most widely implicated in azaspiracid-related food poisoning events. Evidence that these toxins were bound to proteins in contaminated mussels has been shown recently. In the present study characterization of these proteins in blue mussels, Mytilus edulis, was achieved using a range of advanced proteomics tools. Four proteins present only in the hepatopancreas of toxin-contaminated mussels sharing identity or homology with cathepsin D, superoxide dismutase, glutathione S-transferase Pi, and a bacterial flagellar protein have been characterized. Several of the proteins are known to be involved in self-defense mechanisms against xenobiotics or up-regulated in the presence of carcinogenic agents. These findings would suggest that azaspiracids should now be considered and evaluated as potential tumorigenic compounds. The presence of a bacterial protein only in contaminated mussels was an unexpected finding and requires further investigation. The proteins identified in this study should assist with development of urgently required processes for the rapid depuration of azaspiracid-contaminated shellfish. Moreover they may serve as early warning indicators of shellfish exposed to this family of toxins. Molecular & Cellular Proteomics 8: 1811-1822, 2009.

The extract of the jellyfish Phyllorhiza punctata promotes neurotoxic effects

Phyllorhiza punctata (P. punctata) is a jellyfish native to the southwestern Pacific. Herewith we present the biochemical and pharmacological characterization of an extract of the tentacles of P. punctata. The tentacles were subjected to three freezethaw cycles, homogenized, ultrafiltered, precipitated, centrifuged and lyophilized to obtain a crude extract (PHY-N). Paralytic shellfish poisoning compounds such as saxitoxin, gonyautoxin-4, tetrodotoxin and brevetoxin-2, as well as several secretory phospholipase A2 were identified. PHY-N was tested on autonomic and somatic neuromuscular preparations. In mouse vas deferens, PHY-N induced phasic contractions that reached a peak of 234 +/- 34.7% of control twitch height, which were blocked with either 100 mu m of phentolamine or 1m m of lidocaine. In mouse corpora cavernosa, PHY-N evoked a relaxation response, which was blocked with either L-NG-Nitroarginine methyl ester (0.5 m m) or 1m m of lidocaine. PHY-N (1, 3 and 10 mu g ml(-1)) induced an increase in tonus of the biventercervicis neuromuscular preparation that was blocked with pre-treatment of galamine (10 mu m). Administration of 6 mg kg(-1) PHY-N intramuscularly produced death in broilers by spastic paralysis. In conclusion, PHY-N induces nerve depolarization and nonspecifically increases neurotransmitter release. Copyright (C) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Expression and cellular localization of Copper transporter 2 (Ctr2) in Mus musculus

The Ctr family is an essential part of the copper homeostasis machinery and its members share sequence homology and structural and functional features. Higher eukaryotes express two members of this family Ctr1 and Ctr2. Numerous structural and functional studies are available for Ctr1, the only high affinity Cu(I) transporter thus far identified. Ctr1 holigotrimers mediate cellular copper uptake and this protein was demonstrated to be essential for embryonic development and to play a crucial role in dietary copper acquisition. Instead very little is known about Ctr2, it bears structural homology to the yeast vacuolar copper transporter, which mediates mobilization of vacuolar copper stores. Recent studies using over-expressed epitope-tagged forms of human Ctr2 suggested a function as a low affinity copper transporter that can mediate either copper uptake from the extracellular environment or mobilization of lysosomal copper stores. Using an antibody that recognizes endogenous mouse Ctr2, we studied the expression and localization of endogenous mouse Ctr2 in cell culture and in mouse models to understand its regulation and function in copper homeostasis. By immunoblot we observed a regulation of mCtr2 protein levels in a copper and Ctr1 dependent way. Our observations in cells and transgenic mice suggest that lack of Ctr1 induces a strong downregulation of Ctr2 probably by a post-translational mechanism. By indirect immunofluorescence we observed an exclusive intracellular localization in a perinuclear compartment and no co-localization with lysosomal markers. Immunofluorescence experiments in Ctr1 null cells, supported by sequence analysis, suggest that lysosomes may play a role in mCtr2 biology not as resident compartment, but as a degradation site. In appendix a LC-mass method for analysis of algal biotoxins belonging to the family of PsP (paralytic shellfish poisoning) is described.

Seawater carbonate chemistry and maximum growth rates of Skeletonema marinoi and Alexandrium ostenfeldii, toxin composition of Alexandrium ostenfeldii in a laboratory experiment

Phytoplankton populations can display high levels of genetic diversity that, when reflected by phenotypic variability, may stabilize a species response to environmental changes. We studied the effects of increased temperature and CO2 availability as predicted consequences of global change, on 16 genetically different isolates of the diatom Skeletonema marinoi from the Adriatic Sea and the Skagerrak (North Sea), and on eight strains of the PST (paralytic shellfish toxin)-producing dinoflagellate Alexandrium ostenfeldii from the Baltic Sea. Maximum growth rates were estimated in batch cultures of acclimated isolates grown for five to 10 generations in a factorial design at 20 and 24 °C, and present day and next century applied atmospheric pCO2, respectively. In both species, individual strains were affected in different ways by increased temperature and pCO2. The strongest response variability, buffering overall effects, was detected among Adriatic S. marinoi strains. Skagerrak strains showed a more uniform response, particularly to increased temperature, with an overall positive effect on growth. Increased temperature also caused a general growth stimulation in A. ostenfeldii, despite notable variability in strain-specific response patterns. Our data revealed a significant relationship between strain-specific growth rates and the impact of pCO2 on growth-slow growing cultures were generally positively affected, while fast growing cultures showed no or negative responses to increased pCO2. Toxin composition of A. ostenfeldii was consistently altered by elevated temperature and increased CO2 supply in the tested strains, resulting in overall promotion of saxitoxin production by both treatments. Our findings suggest that phenotypic variability within populations plays an important role in the adaptation of phytoplankton to changing environments, potentially attenuating short-term effects and forming the basis for selection. In particular, A. ostenfeldii blooms may expand and increase in toxicity under increased water temperature and atmospheric pCO2 conditions, with potentially severe consequences for the coastal ecosystem.

Data compilation on the biological response to ocean acidification: environmental and experimental context of data sets and related literature

The exponential growth of studies on the biological response to ocean acidification over the last few decades has generated a large amount of data. To facilitate data comparison, a data compilation hosted at the data publisher PANGAEA was initiated in 2008 and is updated on a regular basis (doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.149999). By January 2015, a total of 581 data sets (over 4 000 000 data points) from 539 papers had been archived. Here we present the developments of this data compilation five years since its first description by Nisumaa et al. (2010). Most of study sites from which data archived are still in the Northern Hemisphere and the number of archived data from studies from the Southern Hemisphere and polar oceans are still relatively low. Data from 60 studies that investigated the response of a mix of organisms or natural communities were all added after 2010, indicating a welcomed shift from the study of individual organisms to communities and ecosystems. The initial imbalance of considerably more data archived on calcification and primary production than on other processes has improved. There is also a clear tendency towards more data archived from multifactorial studies after 2010. For easier and more effective access to ocean acidification data, the ocean acidification community is strongly encouraged to contribute to the data archiving effort, and help develop standard vocabularies describing the variables and define best practices for archiving ocean acidification data.

Development and Validation of a Lateral Flow Immunoassay for the Rapid Screening of Okadaic Acid and All Dinophysis Toxins from Shellfish Extracts

A single-step lateral flow immunoassay was developed and validated to detect okadaic acid (OA) and dinophysis toxins (DTXs), which cause diarrhetic shellfish poisoning. The performance characteristics of the test were investigated, in comparison to reference methods (liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and/or bioassay), using both spiked and naturally contaminated shellfish. A portable reader was used to generate a qualitative result, indicating the absence or presence of OA-group toxins, at concentrations relevant to the maximum permitted level (MPL). Sample homogenates could be screened in 20 min (including extraction and assay time) for the presence of free toxins (OA, DTX1, DTX2). DTX3 detection could be included with the addition of a hydrolysis procedure. No matrix effects were observed from the species evaluated (mussels, scallops, oysters, and clams). Results from naturally contaminated samples (n = 72) indicated no false compliant results and no false noncompliant results at <50% MPL. Thus, the development of a new low-cost but highly effective tool for monitoring a range of important phycotoxins has been demonstrated.