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Deformation and blemishing of pearls caused by bacteria

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  • Aquaculture
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Abstract

Bacteria cause deformation and blemishing in pearls, and we investigate this relationship. We examined pearls derived from Pinctada margaritifera, Pinctada maxima, and Pinctada fucata, and determined the location of bacteria using histopathological and immunohistochemical techniques and 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequence analyses. The most remarkable change was the inflammatory reaction located between the pearl nucleus and the nacreous layer, composed of hemocytic infiltration with melanization, periostracum, and fibrous aragonite-like structures. These anomalous changes were limited to abnormal sites, and such inflammatory reaction sites are a major factor in the formation of pearl abnormalities. Bacteria were detected from the inflammatory sites and are suspected as the causative agent. Most of these bacteria were anaerobic.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Fish Health Management, Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, 4-5-7 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8477, Japan

    Tohru Ogimura, Kunihiko Futami, Takayuki Katagiri, Masashi Maita, Ana Teresa Gonçalves & Makoto Endo

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  1. Tohru Ogimura
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  2. Kunihiko Futami
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  3. Takayuki Katagiri
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  4. Masashi Maita
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  5. Ana Teresa Gonçalves
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  6. Makoto Endo
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Correspondence to Kunihiko Futami.

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Ogimura, T., Futami, K., Katagiri, T. et al. Deformation and blemishing of pearls caused by bacteria. Fish Sci 78, 1255–1262 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-012-0545-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-012-0545-x

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