Electrophysiological Evaluation of Pacific Oyster (Crassostrea gigas) Sensitivity to Saxitoxin and Tetrodotoxin

Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) may bio-accumulate high levels of paralytic shellfish toxins (PST) during harmful algal blooms of the genus Alexandrium. These blooms regularly occur in coastal waters, affecting oyster health and marketability. The aim of our study was to analyse the PST-sensitivity of nerves of Pacific oysters in relation with toxin bio-accumulation. The results show that C. gigas nerves have micromolar range of saxitoxin (STX) sensitivity, thus providing intermediate STX sensitivity compared to other bivalve species. However, theses nerves were much less sensitive to tetrodotoxin. The STX-sensitivity of compound nerve action potential (CNAP) recorded from oysters experimentally fed with Alexandrium minutum (toxic-alga-exposed oysters), or Tisochrysis lutea, a non-toxic microalga (control oysters), revealed that oysters could be separated into STX-resistant and STX-sensitive categories, regardless of the diet. Moreover, the percentage of toxin-sensitive nerves was lower, and the STX concentration necessary to inhibit 50% of CNAP higher, in recently toxic-alga-exposed oysters than in control bivalves. However, no obvious correlation was observed between nerve sensitivity to STX and the STX content in oyster digestive glands. None of the nerves isolated from wild and farmed oysters was detected to be sensitive to tetrodotoxin. In conclusion, this study highlights the good potential of cerebrovisceral nerves of Pacific oysters for electrophysiological and pharmacological studies. In addition, this study shows, for the first time, that C. gigas nerves have micromolar range of STX sensitivity. The STX sensitivity decreases, at least temporary, upon recent oyster exposure to dinoflagellates producing PST under natural, but not experimental environment.     

Insights into the Toxicological Properties of a Low Molecular Weight Fraction from Zoanthus sociatus (Cnidaria)

The phylum Cnidaria is an ancient group of venomous animals, specialized in the production and delivery of toxins. Many species belonging to the class Anthozoa have been studied and their venoms often contain a group of peptides, less than 10 kDa, that act upon ion channels. These peptides and their targets interact with high affinity producing neurotoxic and cardiotoxic effects, and even death, depending on the dose and the administration pathway. Zoanthiniaria is an order of the Subclass Hexacorallia, class Anthozoa, and unlike sea anemone (order Actiniaria), neither its diversity of toxins nor the in vivo effects of the venoms has been exhaustively explored. In this study we assessed some toxicological tests on mice with a low molecular weight fraction obtained by gel filtration in Sephadex G-50 from Zoanthus sociatus crude extract. The gel filtration chromatogram at 280 nm revealed two major peaks, the highest absorbance corresponding to the low molecular weight fraction. The toxicological effects seem to be mostly autonomic and cardiotoxic, causing death in a dose dependent manner with a LD₅₀ of 792 μg/kg. Moreover, at a dose of 600 μg/kg the active fraction accelerated the KCl-induced lethality in mice.     

Outbreak of Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning Associated with Mussels,British Columbia,Canada

In 2011, a Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) outbreak occurred in British Columbia (BC), Canada that was associated with cooked mussel consumption. This is the first reported DSP outbreak in BC. Investigation of ill individuals, traceback of product and laboratory testing for toxins were used in this investigation. Sixty-two illnesses were reported. Public health and food safety investigation identified a common food source and harvest area. Public health and regulatory agencies took actions to recall product and notify the public. Shellfish monitoring program changes were implemented after the outbreak. Improved response and understanding of toxin production will improve management of future DSP outbreaks.     

Effects of Marine Toxins on the Reproduction and Early Stages Development of Aquatic Organisms

Marine organisms, and specially phytoplankton species, are able to produce a diverse array of toxic compounds that are not yet fully understood in terms of their main targets and biological function. Toxins such as saxitoxins, tetrodotoxin, palytoxin, nodularin, okadaic acid, domoic acid, may be produced in large amounts by dinoflagellates, cyanobacteria, bacteria and diatoms and accumulate in vectors that transfer the toxin along food chains. These may affect top predator organisms, including human populations, leading in some cases to death. Nevertheless, these toxins may also affect the reproduction of aquatic organisms that may be in contact with the toxins, either by decreasing the amount or quality of gametes or by affecting embryonic development. Adults of some species may be insensitive to toxins but early stages are more prone to intoxication because they lack effective enzymatic systems to detoxify the toxins and are more exposed to the toxins due to a higher metabolic growth rate. In this paper we review the current knowledge on the effects of some of the most common marine toxins on the reproduction and development of early stages of some organisms.     

棉花枯萎病菌接种及粗毒素处理后棉苗维管束病理特征

 利用遗传背景一致而抗病性不同的岱16变异品系和抗病品种中12,研究了接种棉花枯萎病菌(Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.vasinfectum)及用枯萎病菌粗毒素处理后,棉苗维管束的病理变化。研究结果表明,接种枯萎病菌后,病株茎部导管及薄壁细胞中有枯萎菌丝存在。发病严重的感病品种原岱16有菌丝的导管数最多,抗病品种早熟岱16抗最少。所有品种中均出现胶状物或侵填体堵塞导管,这种现象在抗病品种中更为明显。病菌粗毒素处理后,棉苗茎及叶柄导管内也出现侵填体或胶状物堵塞导管,抗病品种茎部导管堵塞快。     

小麦镰刀菌毒素及其发生风险研究进展

近年来,小麦赤霉病在我国小麦产区高频率流行,尤其在长江中下游、淮河流域以及黄淮南部,导致小麦中镰刀菌毒素严重污染,不仅影响小麦产量,还危害人畜健康。镰刀菌毒素包括脱氧雪腐镰刀菌烯醇(DON,又称呕吐毒素)、玉米赤霉烯酮(ZEN)、雪腐镰刀菌烯醇(NIV)以及伏马毒素(FB)等,可以引起动物消化、神经、免疫以及生殖系统异常,有的还具有致癌作用。本文对我国小麦镰刀菌毒素的发生情况与影响因素进行了分析,同时对镰刀菌毒素的风险评估与防控研究的迫切性进行了探讨,以期提高人们对小麦镰刀菌毒素污染的认识,保障我国小麦产业的健康发展。     

Rapid testing methods for food contaminants and toxicants

Food safety is one of the major concerns in every country regardless of the economic and social development. The frequent occurrence of food scandals in the world has led the Chinese government to implement several strategies to fortify the food supply system to a high food safety standard. This relies heavily on laboratory testing services but conventional methods for detection of food contaminants and toxicants are limited by sophisticated sample preparation procedures,long analysis time,large instruments and professional personnel to meet the increasing demands. In this review,we have incorporated most of the current and potential rapid detection methods for many notorious food contaminants and toxicants including microbial agents,toxic ions,pesticides,veterinary drugs and preservatives,as well as detection of genetically modified food genes and adulterated edible oil. Development of rapid,accurate,easy-to-use and affordable testing methods could urge food handlers and the public to actively screen for food contaminants and toxicants instead of passively relying on monitoring by the government examination facility. This review also provides several recommendations including how to encourage the public to engage in the food safety management system and provide optimal education and financial assistance that may improve the current Chinese food safety control system.     

Hunt for Palytoxins in a Wide Variety of Marine Organisms Harvested in 2010 on the French Mediterranean Coast

During the summer of 2010, 31 species including fish, echinoderms, gastropods, crustaceans, cephalopods and sponges were sampled in the Bay of Villefranche on the French Mediterranean coast and screened for the presence of PLTX-group toxins using the haemolytic assay. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used for confirmatory purposes and to determine the toxin profile. The mean toxin concentration in the whole flesh of all sampled marine organisms, determined using the lower- (LB) and upper-bound (UB) approach was 4.3 and 5.1 µg·kg⁻¹, respectively, with less than 1% of the results exceeding the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) threshold of 30 µg·kg⁻¹ and the highest values being reported for sea urchins (107.6 and 108.0 µg·kg⁻¹). Toxins accumulated almost exclusively in the digestive tube of the tested species, with the exception of octopus, in which there were detectable toxin amounts in the remaining tissues (RT). The mean toxin concentration in the RT of the sampled organisms (fishes, echinoderms and cephalopods) was 0.7 and 1.7 µg·kg⁻¹ (LB and UB, respectively), with a maximum value of 19.9 µg·kg⁻¹ for octopus RT. The herbivorous and omnivorous organisms were the most contaminated species, indicating that diet influences the contamination process, and the LC-MS/MS revealed that ovatoxin-a was the only toxin detected.     

高粱靶斑病菌粗毒素对高粱胚根生长及胚根细胞膜透性的影响

为了揭示高粱靶斑病菌的致病机理,用不同浓度病原菌粗毒素处理高粱种子L407B和Tx622B,测定其胚根生长抑制率、电导率和丙二醛(MDA)含量,探讨高粱靶斑病菌粗毒素对高粱不同品种胚根生长及胚根细胞膜透性的影响。结果表明,病菌粗毒素对高粱胚根生长有明显的抑制作用。在同一毒素浓度下,处理后2天,处理组胚根的相对电导率和MDA含量均高于对照组;同一处理时间内,不同浓度毒素处理后胚根相对电导率和MDA含量均高于对照组。说明高粱靶斑病菌毒素能降低高粱胚根细胞膜透性,且不同高粱品种间差异显著。