Toxicity, morphology and distribution of Pseudo-nitzschia calliantha, P. multistriata and P. multiseries (Bacillariophyta) from the northwestern Sea of Japan

Abstract

Toxicity, morphology and distribution patterns of three bloom-forming species of the diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia (potential producers of the neurotoxin domoic acid and causative organisms of amnesic shellfish poisoning) from Peter the Great Bay in the northwestern Sea of Japan are presented. Pseudo-nitzschia calliantha, P. multistriata and P. multiseries bloomed in Peter the Great Bay in the fall, with abundances exceeding 106 cells l-1. This is the first report of toxicity in P. multiseries from Russian waters. Domoic acid was found in stationary-phase (days 20–35) cultures of P. multiseries isolated from Peter the Great Bay at concentrations varying between 180 and 5390 ng ml-1 or 2 to 21 pg cell-1, which is in the range reported for other isolates of P. multiseries. The Russian isolate had an increasing ability to produce domoic acid over time in culture rather than the usual trend of decreasing toxicity. No domoic acid was detected (<2 ng ml-1) in cultures of P. calliantha and P. multistriata from the same locality. The Russian isolate of P. multiseries produced gametes when mated with the Canadian strains of the opposite mating type, but they never developed into zygotes, auxospores or large initial cells. This suggests that there might be “cryptic” species within P. multiseries. However, a comparison of molecular and morphometric data between the Russian and Canadian strains showed that they indeed belong to the same species.

Pseudo-nitzschia physiological ecology, phylogeny, toxicity, monitoring and impacts on ecosystem health

“…DA was found for the first time in stationary-phase P. multiseries cells isolated from Peter the Great Bay, at concentrations varying between 180 and 5390 ng DA ml À1 or 2-21 pg DA cell À1 (Orlova et al, 2008; Table 3). No DA was detected (<2 ng ml À1 ) in cultures of P. calliantha and P. multistriata from the same locality.…”

“…No DA was detected (<2 ng ml À1 ) in cultures of P. calliantha and P. multistriata from the same locality. A gamma proteobacterium (tentatively identified as Alteromonas macleodii) was isolated from P. multiseries strain PM-02 (Orlova et al, 2008), and was earlier shown to significantly enhance the DA concentration of an axenic culture of P. multiseries (S.S. Bates, I. Kaczmarska, C. Lé ger, J. Ehrman and D.H. Green, unpubl. data).…”

Diversidad y morfología de las especies de Pseudo-nitzschia (Bacillariophyta) del parque nacional Sistema Arrecifal Veracruzano, suroeste del Golfo de México

“…Some strains of this species are toxic Bates & Trainer, 2006). However, Orlova et al (2008) did not detect any toxicity in a strain of P. calliantha from the Sea of Japan, and strains from the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada, were also below the limit of detection for DA (S. Bates, pers. comm.).…”

Common European harmful algal blooms affect the viability and innate immune responses of Mytilus edulis larvae

“…multiseries has frequently been observed at densities >1000 cells ml À1 [52,55,69]. Reports of natural DA concentrations are, however, scarce [74] and range from 3 mg l À1 [23] to 136 mg l À1 [75].…”

“…Five replicates of 200 ml, containing 100,000 mussel embryos each, were exposed for 48 h. P. multiseries or P. lima were added at environmentally relevant bloom concentrations: 1400 cells ml À1 and 150 cells ml À1 , respectively [24,52]. Toxins were added to the highest non-lethal concentrations: 800 mg DA l À1 or 150 mg OA l À1 .…”