New Invasive Nemertean Species (<i>Cephalothrix Simula</i>) in England with High Levels of Tetrodotoxin and a Microbiome Linked to Toxin Metabolism
The marine nemertean <i>Cephalothrix simula</i> originates from the Pacific Ocean but in recent years has been discovered in northern Europe. The species has been associated with high levels of the marine neurotoxin Tetrodotoxin, traditionally associated with Pufferfish Poisoning. This s...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2018-11-01
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| Series: | Marine Drugs |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/16/11/452 |
| _version_ | 1798042438482264064 |
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| author | Andrew D. Turner David Fenwick Andy Powell Monika Dhanji-Rapkova Charlotte Ford Robert G. Hatfield Andres Santos Jaime Martinez-Urtaza Tim P. Bean Craig Baker-Austin Paul Stebbing |
| author_facet | Andrew D. Turner David Fenwick Andy Powell Monika Dhanji-Rapkova Charlotte Ford Robert G. Hatfield Andres Santos Jaime Martinez-Urtaza Tim P. Bean Craig Baker-Austin Paul Stebbing |
| author_sort | Andrew D. Turner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The marine nemertean <i>Cephalothrix simula</i> originates from the Pacific Ocean but in recent years has been discovered in northern Europe. The species has been associated with high levels of the marine neurotoxin Tetrodotoxin, traditionally associated with Pufferfish Poisoning. This study reports the first discovery of two organisms of <i>C. simula</i> in the UK, showing the geographical extent of this species is wider than originally described. Species identification was initially conducted morphologically, with confirmation by Cox 1 DNA sequencing. 16S gene sequencing enabled the taxonomic assignment of the microbiome, showing the prevalence of a large number of bacterial genera previously associated with TTX production including Alteromonas, <i>Vibrio</i> and Pseudomonas. LC-MS/MS analysis of the nemertean tissue revealed the presence of multiple analogues of TTX, dominated by the parent TTX, with a total toxin concentration quantified at 54 µg TTX per g of tissue. <i>Pseudomonas luteola</i> isolated from <i>C. simula</i>, together with <i>Vibrio alginolyticus</i> from the native nemertean <i>Tubulanus annulatus</i>, were cultured at low temperature and both found to contain TTX. Overall, this paper confirms the high toxicity of a newly discovered invasive nemertean species with links to toxin-producing marine bacteria and the potential risk to human safety. Further work is required to assess the geographical extent and toxicity range of <i>C. simula</i> along the UK coast in order to properly gauge the potential impacts on the environment and human safety. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T22:35:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-15297d2aa0c24b4ca18f8ca2b09217b0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1660-3397 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T22:35:32Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Marine Drugs |
| spelling | doaj.art-15297d2aa0c24b4ca18f8ca2b09217b02022-12-22T03:59:14ZengMDPI AGMarine Drugs1660-33972018-11-01161145210.3390/md16110452md16110452New Invasive Nemertean Species (<i>Cephalothrix Simula</i>) in England with High Levels of Tetrodotoxin and a Microbiome Linked to Toxin MetabolismAndrew D. Turner0David Fenwick1Andy Powell2Monika Dhanji-Rapkova3Charlotte Ford4Robert G. Hatfield5Andres Santos6Jaime Martinez-Urtaza7Tim P. Bean8Craig Baker-Austin9Paul Stebbing10Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8UB, UKRoscadghill Parc, Penzance, Cornwall TR18 3QY, UKCentre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8UB, UKCentre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8UB, UKCentre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8UB, UKCentre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8UB, UKCentre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8UB, UKCentre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8UB, UKCentre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8UB, UKCentre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8UB, UKCentre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8UB, UKThe marine nemertean <i>Cephalothrix simula</i> originates from the Pacific Ocean but in recent years has been discovered in northern Europe. The species has been associated with high levels of the marine neurotoxin Tetrodotoxin, traditionally associated with Pufferfish Poisoning. This study reports the first discovery of two organisms of <i>C. simula</i> in the UK, showing the geographical extent of this species is wider than originally described. Species identification was initially conducted morphologically, with confirmation by Cox 1 DNA sequencing. 16S gene sequencing enabled the taxonomic assignment of the microbiome, showing the prevalence of a large number of bacterial genera previously associated with TTX production including Alteromonas, <i>Vibrio</i> and Pseudomonas. LC-MS/MS analysis of the nemertean tissue revealed the presence of multiple analogues of TTX, dominated by the parent TTX, with a total toxin concentration quantified at 54 µg TTX per g of tissue. <i>Pseudomonas luteola</i> isolated from <i>C. simula</i>, together with <i>Vibrio alginolyticus</i> from the native nemertean <i>Tubulanus annulatus</i>, were cultured at low temperature and both found to contain TTX. Overall, this paper confirms the high toxicity of a newly discovered invasive nemertean species with links to toxin-producing marine bacteria and the potential risk to human safety. Further work is required to assess the geographical extent and toxicity range of <i>C. simula</i> along the UK coast in order to properly gauge the potential impacts on the environment and human safety.https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/16/11/452tetrodotoxinnemerteanbacteriatoxicityinvasive species |
| spellingShingle | Andrew D. Turner David Fenwick Andy Powell Monika Dhanji-Rapkova Charlotte Ford Robert G. Hatfield Andres Santos Jaime Martinez-Urtaza Tim P. Bean Craig Baker-Austin Paul Stebbing New Invasive Nemertean Species (<i>Cephalothrix Simula</i>) in England with High Levels of Tetrodotoxin and a Microbiome Linked to Toxin Metabolism Marine Drugs tetrodotoxin nemertean bacteria toxicity invasive species |
| title | New Invasive Nemertean Species (<i>Cephalothrix Simula</i>) in England with High Levels of Tetrodotoxin and a Microbiome Linked to Toxin Metabolism |
| title_full | New Invasive Nemertean Species (<i>Cephalothrix Simula</i>) in England with High Levels of Tetrodotoxin and a Microbiome Linked to Toxin Metabolism |
| title_fullStr | New Invasive Nemertean Species (<i>Cephalothrix Simula</i>) in England with High Levels of Tetrodotoxin and a Microbiome Linked to Toxin Metabolism |
| title_full_unstemmed | New Invasive Nemertean Species (<i>Cephalothrix Simula</i>) in England with High Levels of Tetrodotoxin and a Microbiome Linked to Toxin Metabolism |
| title_short | New Invasive Nemertean Species (<i>Cephalothrix Simula</i>) in England with High Levels of Tetrodotoxin and a Microbiome Linked to Toxin Metabolism |
| title_sort | new invasive nemertean species i cephalothrix simula i in england with high levels of tetrodotoxin and a microbiome linked to toxin metabolism |
| topic | tetrodotoxin nemertean bacteria toxicity invasive species |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/16/11/452 |
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