Functional Status of Magallana Gigas Infected by Pione Vastifica

Abstract

Pacific oyster Magallana gigas (Thunberg, 1793) is an important commercial species of the Black Sea coast of Russia. Black Sea is favorable for the development of regional mariculture, but the existing biotic factors may lead to damage to an oyster farm. In particular, boring sponge Pione vastifica (Hancock, 1849). Boring sponges are a serious problem for mariculture farms, because the affected mussels are withdrawn from trade, which entails economic losses. In this work, the effect of boring sponges on the functional state of hemocytes (the ability to produce reactive oxygen species - ROS and the membrane potential of mitochondria) and the antioxidant status of the mantle of the Pacific oyster were studied. The membrane potential of mitochondria was significantly inhibited in the hemocytes of mollusks affected by P. vastifica. In addition, the hemocytes of “infected” oysters were characterized by a higher level of ROS production compared to the group of “healthy" oysters. The increase in ROS was not accompanied by an increase in catalase activity. The absence of an increase in catalase activity against the background of excessive ROS production can lead to various physiological and metabolic disorders and a decrease in the growth rate of mollusks. The present study contributes to the expansion of understanding about the influence of the drilling sponge (P. vastifica) on the functional state of a common object of regional mariculture – the Pacific oyster (M. gigas).