Immunological and histological changes of gilthead sea bream (Sparus Aurata) to Alum, when used as an adjuvnat in Photobacterium damselae ssp piscicida vaccine

Dissertação mest., Aquacultura e Pescas, Universidade do Algarve, 2006

Variation in 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer regions in Photobacterium damselae: a mosaic-like structure

Phenotypically, Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida and P. damselae subsp. damselae are easily distinguished. However, their 16S rRNA gene sequences are identical, and attempts to discriminate these two subspecies by molecular tools are hampered by their high level of DNA-DNA similarity. The 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacers (ITS) were sequenced in two strains of Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida and two strains of P. damselae subsp. damselae to determine the level of molecular diversity in this DNA region. A total of 17 different ITS variants, ranging from 803 to 296 bp were found, some of which were subspecies or strain specific. The largest ITS contained four tRNA genes (tDNAs) coding for tRNA(Glu(UUC)), tRNA(LyS(UUU)), tRNA(Val(UAC)), and tRNA(Ala(GGC)). Five amplicons contained tRNA(Glu(UUC)) combined with two additional tRNA genes, including tRNA(Lys(UUU)), tRNA(Val(UAC)), or tRNA(Ala(UGC)). Five amplicons contained tRNA(Ile(GAU)) and tRNA(Ala(UGC)). Two amplicons contained tRNA(Glu(UUC)) and tRNA(Val(UGC)). Two different isoacceptor tRNA(Ala) genes (GGC and UGC anticodons) were found. The five smallest amplicons contained no tRNA genes. The tRNA-gene combinations tRNA(Glu(UUC)) -tRNA(Val(UAC)) -tRNA(Ala(UGC)) and tRNA(Glu(UUC)) -tRNA(Ala(UGC)) have not been previously reported in bacterial ITS regions. The number of copies of the ribosomal operon (rrn) in the P. damselae chromosome ranged from at least 9 to 12. For ITS variants coexisting in two strains of different subspecies or in strains of the same subspecies, nucleotide substitution percentages ranged from 0 to 2%. The main source of variation between ITS variants was due to different combinations of DNA sequence blocks, constituting a mosaic-like structure.

Characterization of the 23S and 5S rRNA genes and 23S-5S intergenic spacer region (ITS-2) of Photobacterium damselae

The 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene has been sequenced in strains of the fish pathogens Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae (ATCC 33539) and subsp. piscicida (ATCC 29690), showing that 3 nucleotide positions are clearly different between subspecies. In addition, the 5S rRNA gene plus the intergenic spacer region between the 23S and 5S rRNA genes (ITS-2) were amplified, cloned and sequenced for the 2 reference strains as well as the field isolates RG91 (subsp. damselae) and DI21 (subsp. piscicida). A 100% similarity was found for the consensus 5S rRNA gene sequence in the 2 subspecies, although some microheterogeneity was detected as inter-cistronic variability within the same chromosome. Sequence analysis of the spacer region between the 23S and 5S rRNA genes revealed 2 conserved and 3 variable nucleotide sequence blocks, and 4 different modular organizations were found. The ITS-2 spacer region exhibited both inter-subspecies and inter-cistronic polymorphism, with a mosaic-like structure. The EMBL accession numbers for the 23S, 5S and ITS-2 sequences are: P. damselae subsp. piscicida 5S gene (AJ274379), P. damselae subsp. damselae 23S gene (Y18520), subsp. piscicida 23S gene (Y17901), R damselae subsp. piscicida ITS-2 (AJ250695, AJ250696), P. damselae subsp. damselae ITS-2 (AJ250697, AJ250698).

Vacunas inactivas frente a Photobacterium Damselae subsp. Piscicida en dorada (Sparus Aurata): efecto sobre la producción de células IGM positivas y la expresión génetica de moléculas proinflamatorias y MX

Programa de doctorado: Sanidad animal

Genetic diversity analysis of isolates belonging to the Photobacterium phosphoreum species group collected from salmon products using AFLP fingerprinting

An accurate amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) method, including three primer sets for the selective amplification step, was developed to display the phylogenetic position of Photobacterium isolates collected from salmon products. This method was efficient for discriminating the three species Photobacterium phosphoreum, Photobacterium iliopiscarium and Photobacterium kishitanii, until now indistinctly gathered in the Photobacterium phosphoreum species group known to be strongly responsible for seafood spoilage. The AFLP fingerprints enabled the isolates to be separated into two main clusters that, according to the type strains, were assigned to the two species P. phosphoreum and P. iliopiscarium. P. kishitanii was not found in the collection. The accuracy of the method was validated by using gyrB-gene sequencing and luxA-gene PCR amplification, which confirmed the species delineation. Most of the isolates of each species were clonally distinct and even those that were isolated from the same source showed some diversity. Moreover, this AFLP method may be an excellent tool for genotyping isolates in bacterial communities and for clarifying our knowledge of the role of the different members of the Photobacterium species group in seafood spoilage.

Estudo da infeção de corvina (Argyrosomus regius Asso, 1801) por Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida

As práticas intensivas que são utilizadas em aquacultura implicam que exista um contacto extremo entre indivíduos promovendo o stress, que atuando conjuntamente com diversos outros fatores, como é o caso de bactérias, são passíveis de induzir nos peixes um estado de doença. Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida (Phdp) é uma bactéria gram-negativa reconhecida por causar surtos graves de doença em diversas espécies de peixes. É considerada mundialmente como uma das maiores enfermidades para as práticas aquícolas, plausível de causar danos irreversíveis nestas populações. Neste trabalho pretendeu-se elaborar um protocolo de infeção com Phdp em Argyrosomus regius estabelecendo num primeiro ensaio a dose que causa mortalidade a 50% de uma população (LD50), estudando posteriormente num segundo ensaio, a infeção, o destino que a bactéria teria no peixe através de análise PCR, as consequências da infeção a nível hematológico e nos parâmetros imunitários, utilizando um modelo de coabitação, expondo indivíduos saudáveis a indivíduos doentes. Foi comprovada a virulência da estirpe AQP 17.1 de Phdp sobre indivíduos da espécie A. regius com um peso médio de 28,3±10,9g, situando-se o LD50 em 2,29×105 UFC ml-1, apresentando os peixes alguns sintomas típicos da doença crónica. O modelo de coabitação utilizado no segundo ensaio, permitiu-nos confirmar que Phdp infetou por coabitação indivíduos da espécie A. regius com peso médio de 23,4±8,6g. Os resultados sugerem que as brânquias podem ter sido um dos locais de entrada da bactéria no corpo do peixe, disseminando-se após 24 horas para o rim e intestino anterior. Phdp induziu em A. regius uma resposta imune inata que se avaliou ao longo do tempo quando comparados os indivíduos coabitantes do controlo (vetores injetados com tampão salino de Hanks) com os indivíduos coabitantes infetados (vetores injetados com suspensão de Phdp a uma concentração igual ao LD50). Esta resposta inflamatória ficou visível não só no aumento do número de leucócitos no sangue, mas também no aumento de atividade dos parâmetros humorais imunes. Os resultados sugerem que a maior atividade da resposta imunitária se deu após as 24 horas de coabitação, momento que determina também a invasão do patógeno em órgãos como o intestino anterior e o rim. Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho sugerem que Phdp pode induzir um estado de infeção em A. regius através de um modelo de coabitação, invadindo num curto espaço de tempo os órgãos do hospedeiro, desencadeando a atividade do sistema imune inato como resposta à infeção.

Antibacterial effect of the Indian squid, Loligo duvauceli (d'Orbigny), ink

The ink of the Indian squid Loligo duvauceli (d'Orbigny) was tested for antibacterial activity. The antibacterial effect of bacteria present in the ink gland was also tested. Only one type of bacteria was found to be present in the ink gland of squid and was identified as Photobacterium leiognathi. Among the various forms of ink extracts, the precipitated and freeze-dried ink showed more pronounced antibacterial effect against Gram-negative bacteria, Salmonella, spp. Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus and Pseudoinonas spp., and a less pronounced effect against Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus spp. and Micrococcus spp., P. leiognathi did not inhibit any of the above bacteria. The antibacterial activity was associated with the compounds of the ink.

Distribution of drug resistant luminous bacteria in penaeid shrimp grow-out ponds

Distribution of luminous bacteria (LB) in penaeid shrimp grow-out pond water in semiintensive seawater farming system and their resistance to 15 antibacterials were investigated. Total viable counts and luminous bacterial counts in pond water ranged from 2.00xl03 to 1.35xl04/ml and l.OOxl01 to 8.00Xl02/ml, respectively. The percentage composition of LB in the total viable population increased significantly with period of culture. Five species of LB such as Vibrio fischeri, V. harveyi, V. orientalis, V. splendidus 1 and Photobacterium leiognathi were encountered. V. harveyi was the dominant species, constituting >80% of the total LB. Multiple antibiotic resistance was more common in these LB. Pond water isolates showed resistance to at least four antibacterial agents.

织纹螺（Nassarius spp.）体内河豚毒素来源的研究

近几十年来，国内沿海地区频繁发生食用织纹螺中毒事件，并导致数十人死亡，这一问题得到了政府相关部门的高度重视。但是，由于织纹螺毒性变化很大，毒素来源不清楚，因此很难预测食用织纹螺中毒事件的发生，这在很大程度上限制了对食用织纹螺中毒事件的有效监测和管理。目前，对于中国沿海有毒织纹螺体内河豚毒素（tetrodotoxin, TTX）的来源还未见过系统研究。本文选取中国沿海常见的半褶织纹螺（Nassarius semiplicatus）、纵肋织纹螺（N. variciferus）和拟半褶织纹螺（N. semiplicatoides sp. nov.）作为实验对象，从毒素的微生物来源与食物链来源这两个角度分别展开研究，以探讨织纹螺体内 TTX 的可能来源，为提出相应的预防管理措施提供科学依据。 首先，我们先后从曾发生过中毒事件的江苏盐城和连云港采集了织纹螺样品，通过小鼠生物测试法和液-质联用分析技术（LC-MS），对织纹螺的毒性和毒素组成进行了测试和分析，分离培养了织纹螺体内及其生活环境中的细菌，应用河豚毒素单克隆抗体酶联免疫检测方法（ELISA）对细菌的产毒情况进行了测试，并通过 16S 核糖体（rRNA）部分基因序列测定对细菌种类进行了初步的分析。研究发现，采自江苏盐城和连云港的半褶织纹螺的毒性分别约为 2 MU/g 和 200 MU/g 组织，体内的毒素成分是河豚毒素及其同系物。从盐城的半褶织纹螺及其生活环境分离的菌株中随机挑出 14 个菌株中，9 个菌株河豚毒素检测结果呈现阳性。从连云港高毒性半褶织纹螺消化腺中分离到的 45 个菌株中，阳性菌株有 21 个。但是，有毒菌株毒素含量较低，毒素含量范围是 15-184ng/g。通过 16S rDNA 部分序列的测序结果发现，大部分有毒菌株与弧菌属（Vibrio）的细菌在遗传序列信息上比较相近。其余有毒菌株分别与希瓦氏菌属（Shewanella）、海单胞菌属（Marinomonas）、黄杆菌属（Tenacibaculum）、动性菌属（Planococcus）、发光杆菌属 (Photobacterium)和气单胞菌属（Aeromonas）的遗传序列比较相近。其中与海单胞菌属、动性菌属和发光杆菌属亲缘关系较近的产毒细菌是首次报道。这一研究表明织纹螺体内及其生活环境中的存在产河豚毒素的细菌，但由于产毒素的量较低，因此可能在织纹螺体内河豚毒素的产生和累积过程并不发挥主要作用。 织纹螺作为一类腐食性的海洋动物，也有可能通过进食含有河豚毒素的生物而累积河豚毒素。对此，我们开展了高毒性半褶织纹螺的室内培养实验，以及河豚毒素在不同种类织纹螺体内的累积和排出的模拟实验，并定期采样，通过液相色谱与串联质谱联用技术（LC-MS/MS）对织纹螺体内河豚毒素及其同系物的含量变化情况进行了分析。室内培养实验发现，从连云港赣榆县采集的高毒性半褶织纹螺，在实验初期，体内毒素含量呈下降的趋势，但从 7月上旬开始，毒素含量突然快速上升，与连云港赣榆县野外采集的织纹螺的毒素含量表现出相似的变化趋势。河豚毒素在不同种织纹螺体内的累积和排出的模拟实验发现，通过投喂高毒性的河豚鱼肝脏（毒性为5×103 MU/g），纵肋织纹螺在一段时间内能够快速累积少量的河豚毒素。当停止投喂有毒河豚鱼肝脏后，毒素含量会快速下降。而在曾导致中毒事件的拟半褶织纹螺中，投喂有毒河豚鱼的肝脏后，其体内毒素含量只有缓慢增加。但在投喂无毒的河豚鱼肝脏后，其毒性却出现了快速增加的现象，这与该地区野外样品的毒性变动状况类似。这些发现显示高毒性半褶、拟半褶织纹螺体内的河豚毒素应当不是食物链累积的结果，而可能是由其自身产生。并且，毒素含量的变化具有一定的生物节律，有可能与产卵、繁殖等自然节律相关。 通过对半褶、纵肋和拟半褶织纹螺的研究工作可以认为，产河豚毒素的细菌不是织纹螺体内河豚毒素的主要来源，并且毒素也不是来自其摄食的食物，推测可能主要是由织纹螺自身产生。织纹螺所表现出的河豚毒素含量的季节性变化，极有可能与产卵、繁殖等自然节律相关，这些发现为预防和管理食用织纹螺中毒事件提供了科学依据。但是，本研究并未完全阐明织纹螺体内河豚毒素的来源，对于织纹螺体内河豚毒素的确切来源以及河豚毒素的代谢和转化机制，还有待于更加深入地研究工作。

Screening for biological activities with application in aquaculture in halophytes from the Algarve coastline

Infectious diseases often hamper the production of aquatic organisms in aquaculture systems, causing economical losses, environmental problems and consumer safety issues. The conventional way aquaculture producers had to control pathogens was by means of synthetic antibiotics and chemicals. This procedure had consequences in the emergence of more resilient pathogens, drug contamination of seafood products and local ecosystems. To avoid the repercussions of antibiotic use, vaccination has greatly replaced human drugs in western fish farms. However there is still massive unregulated antibiotic use in third world fish farms, so less expensive therapeutic alternatives for drugs are desperately needed. An alternative way to achieve disease control in aquaculture is by using natural bioactive organic compounds with antibiotic, antioxidant and/or immunostimulant properties. Such diverse biomolecules occur in bacteria, algae, fungi, higher plants and other organisms. Fatty acids, nucleotides, monosaccharides, polysaccharides, peptides, polyphenols and terpenoids, are examples of these substances. One promising source of bioactive compounds are salt tolerant plants. Halophytes have more molecular resources and defence mechanisms, when compared with other tracheophytes, to deal with the oxidative stresses of their habitat. Many halophytes have been used as a traditional food and medical supply, especially by African and Asian cultures. This scientific work evaluated the antibiotic, antioxidant, immunostimulant and metal chelating properties of Atriplex halimus L., Arthrocnemum macrostachyum Moric., Carpobrotus edulis L., Juncus acutus L. and Plantago coronopus L., from the Algarve coast. The antibiotic properties were tested against Listonella anguillarum, Photobacterium damselae piscicida and Vibrio fischeri. The immunostimulant properties were tested with cytochrome c and Griess assays on Sparus aurata head-kidney phagocytes. J. acutus ether extract inhibited the growth of P. damselae piscicida. A. macrostachyum, A. halimus, C. edulis, Juncus acutus and P. coronopus displayed antioxidant, copper chelating and iron chelating properties. These plants show potential as sources of bioactive compounds with application in aquaculture and in other fields.

‘Systematics and pathogenicity of Vibrionaceae associated T ¢ S with the larvae of M. rosenbergii in hatchery

Even though Bergey '5 Manual has been recognized globally as the guide to bacterial systematics, it has to be emphasized that descriptions given to a large extent are based on studies made with temperate isolates This leads one to conclude that any attempt to identify the tropical isolates with identification keys and tables generated from this information may lead to erroneous conclusions. And there is every possibility of the existence of genotypic and phenotypic variants or even nev. species in this part ofthe aquatic ecosystem. Applications ofa polythetic scheme of classification based on the principles of Numerical Taxonomy opens up exciting avenues for bringing to light, this possibility which otherwise would have been masked by the unidirectional approach as in monothetic schemes. Another added advantage of clustering a ‘natural’ bacterial population by numerical taxonomy, is the ease by which genotypic characterization could be performed on the clusters by selecting a representative from each cluster This helps overcome the practical impossibility of analyzing all the isolates in a pani:'_lar cluster. The genotypic characteizarion would either be mole °/o G-'rC. DNA-D.\_-X hybridization, DNA-RNA hybridization or DNA fingerprinting. Considering the requirement creating a broad base in the understanding of the family Vibrionaceae associated with the larvae ofM rosenbergii, the present work was undertaken to channelize every new information generated for developing appropriate managerial measures to protect the larvae from vibriosis during the unusually prolonged larval phase.