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Bacterial Endosymbionts of Pyrodinium bahamense var. compressum

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Abstract

The study presents evidence in support of the bacterial theory associated with the toxicity of Pyrodinium bahamense var. compressum. Bacterial endosymbionts from Philippine P. bahamense var. compressum strain Pbc MZRVA 042595 were isolated and identified via 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Taxonomic diversity of the identified culturable intracellular microbiota associated with Philippine P. bahamense var. compressum was established to be limited to the Phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes. Major endosymbionts identified included Moraxella spp., Erythrobacter spp., and Bacillus spp., whereas Pseudomonas putida, Micrococcus spp., and Dietzia maris were identified as minor isolates. All identified strains except D. maris, P. putida, and Micrococcus spp. were shown to contain either saxitoxin or neo saxitoxin or both at levels ≤73 ng/107 bacterial cells based on high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. Paralytic shellfish poisoning-like physiologic reactions in test animals used in the mouse assay were recorded for the endosymbionts except for P. putida. The study is the first to elucidate the possible contribution of bacterial endosymbionts in the toxicity of P. bahamense var. compressum isolated in the Philippines.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the University of the Philippines Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Development (OVCRD) for funding the study, as well as the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Home Economics, The Marine Science Institute, College of Science, and the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, College of Science of the University of the Philippines, Diliman, for the use of equipment and resources. The authors would also like to thank Dr. Lourdes J. Cruz and the Marine Biochemistry and Toxinology Laboratory, MSI, UP Diliman, for the use of the HPLC set-up.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Home Economics, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, 1101, Philippines

    Ma. Patricia V. Azanza & Vanessa Mercee D. Vargas

  2. The Marine Science Institute, College of Science, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, 1101, Philippines

    Rhodora V. Azanza

  3. National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, College of Science, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, 1101, Philippines

    Cynthia T. Hedreyda

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  1. Ma. Patricia V. Azanza
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Correspondence to Ma. Patricia V. Azanza.

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Azanza, M.P.V., Azanza, R.V., Vargas, V.M.D. et al. Bacterial Endosymbionts of Pyrodinium bahamense var. compressum . Microb Ecol 52, 756–764 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-006-9128-7

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