Physiological changes induced by sodium chloride stress in Aphanizomenon gracile, Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii and Dolichospermum sp.

Type Article
Date 2021-03
Language English
Author(s) Houliez EmilieORCID1, Briand EnoraORCID1, Malo Florent1, Rovillon Georges-Augustin1, Hervé FabienneORCID1, Robert Elise1, Marchand Laetitia2, Zykwinska AgataORCID2, Caruana AmandineORCID1
Affiliation(s) 1 : IFREMER, Phycotoxins Laboratory, F-44311 Nantes, France
2 : IFREMER, EM3B Laboratory, F-44311 Nantes, France
Source Harmful Algae (1568-9883) (Elsevier BV), 2021-03 , Vol. 103 , P. 102028 (17p.)
DOI 10.1016/j.hal.2021.102028
WOS© Times Cited 3
Keyword(s) Cyanobacteria, Saxitoxins, Paralytic shellfish toxins, Harmful algal bloom, Sodium chloride, Cyanotoxins
Abstract

Due to anthropogenic activities, associated with climate change, many freshwater ecosystems are expected to experience an increase in salinity. This phenomenon is predicted to favor the development and expansion of freshwater cyanobacteria towards brackish waters due to their transfer along the estuarine freshwater-marine continuum. Since freshwater cyanobacteria are known to produce toxins, this represents a serious threat for animal and human health. Saxitoxins (STXs) are classified among the most powerful cyanotoxins. It becomes thus critical to evaluate the capacity of cyanobacteria producing STXs to face variations in salinity and to better understand the physiological consequences of sodium chloride (NaCl) exposure, in particular on their toxicity. Laboratory experiments were conducted on three filamentous cyanobacteria species isolated from brackish (Dolichospermum sp.) and fresh waters (Aphanizomenon gracile and Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii) to determine how salinity variations affect their growth, photosynthetic activity, pigment composition, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), synthesis of compatible solutes and STXs intracellular quotas. Salinity tolerance was found to be species-specific. Dolichospermum sp. was more resistant to salinity variations than A. gracile and C. raciborskii. NaCl variations reduced growth in all species. In A. gracile, carotenoids content was dose-dependently reduced by NaCl. By contrast, in C. raciborskii and Dolichospermum sp., variations in carotenoids content did not show obvious relationships with NaCl concentration. While in Dolichospermum sp. phycocyanin and phycoerythrin increased within the first 24 h exposure to NaCl, in both A. gracile and C. raciborskii, these pigments decreased proportionally to NaCl concentration. Low changes in salinity did not impact STXs production in A. gracile and C. raciborskii while higher increase in salinity could modify the toxin profile and content of C. raciborskii (intracellular STX decreased while dc-GTX2 increased). In estuaries, A. gracile and C. raciborskii would not be able to survive beyond the oligohaline area (i.e. salinity > 5). Conversely, in part due to its ability to accumulate compatible solutes, Dolichospermum sp. has the potential to face consequent salinity variations and to survive in the polyhaline area (at least up to salinity = 24).

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Houliez Emilie, Briand Enora, Malo Florent, Rovillon Georges-Augustin, Hervé Fabienne, Robert Elise, Marchand Laetitia, Zykwinska Agata, Caruana Amandine (2021). Physiological changes induced by sodium chloride stress in Aphanizomenon gracile, Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii and Dolichospermum sp. Harmful Algae, 103, 102028 (17p.). Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hal.2021.102028 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00688/80051/