Toxin profiles of Gambierdiscus lapillus from the Cook Islands Species of the dinoflagellate genus Gambierdiscus produce the toxins responsible for ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP), an illness that has been prevalent throughout the Pacific and particularly in the Cook Islands [1]. The illness is caused by ciguatoxins (CTXs) and possibly maitotoxins (MTXs). Although CTX production ability is genetically associated with the Gambierdiscus / Fukuyoa complex, the presence of Gambierdiscus / Fukuyoa in a particular area does not mean a risk of CFP, as the toxicity of the species and even strains of species can vary [2]. The key species known to be responsible for CFP in the Pacific is G. polynesiensis, but other species need to be considered and their toxin profiles determined to enable better risk assessments. This is particularly important for regions where illnesses have been reported but G. polynesiensis has not been detected. The epiphytic species Gambierdiscus lapillus was first isolated from Heron Island, Queensland, Australia, where CFP is endemic [3]. Culture extracts of these Queensland isolates were tested by mouse biaoassay (MBA) and were toxic to mice, however liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analyses of these isolates were negative for the known microalgal Pacific ciguatoxins (P-CTXs; P-CTX-3B Fig. 1. Sampling area in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Fig. 2. Typical macroalgal substrate, Halimeda species. 10 and C, P-CTX-4A and B) and maitotoxin-1 (MTX-1). They did, however, produce 44-methylgambierone (44-MG) [3-5] although this compound is not considered a cause of CFP [6]. Tracelevel toxin activity was also detected using the Ca2+ influx SH-SY5Y cell Fluorescent Imaging Plate Reader bioassay. It was hypothesised that unknown compounds were responsible for the MBA results and that G. lapillus could still be a contributor to CFP intoxications in Australia [3]. Sampling of macroalgae was carried out in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, at Muri Lagoon in March 2017 and at Titikaveka Beach and Muri Beach (Fig. 1) by Prof Muharrem Balci in August 2019. Samples were returned to the Cawthron Institute, New Zealand, under quarantine regulations and living cells were immediately isolated and on-grown for molecular and toxin analyses. Species determination was by DNA sequencing (large subunit ribosomal DNA, D8-D10 region) as described previously [7]. Production of P-CTXs [8], MTX-1 [9] and 44-MG [4] by isolates was determined by LC-MS/MS. Isolates were deposited in the Cawthron Institute Culture Collection of Micro-algae (CICCM). Two isolates from samples collected in 2017 (CAWD263 and 264) and six isolates from the 2019 sampling effort were confirmed as G. lapillus (CAWD330-333, 335, 338) (Fig. 2). All were positive for 44-MG production and negative for microalgal P-CTXs and MTX-1 production. Other Gambierdiscus species isolated from the 2017 event were G. polynesiensis (CAWD267) and G. pacificus and in 2019 G. pacificus (CAWD337) (Fig. 3). Only the G. polynesiensis isolate produced the known microalgal PCTXs [unpublished data], while for both G. polynesiensis and G. pacificus 44-MG was detected. Other Gambierdiscus species isolated from the Cook Islands from earlier sampling efforts were G. australes, G. cheloniae and G. honu. Only G. australes produced MTX-1 but all produced 44-MG [10]. The use of molecular assays to determining the presence of Gambierdiscus species in field samples is proving useful for guiding isolations [e.g., 11-13]. As G. lapillus has been considered a potential candidate for CFP [3,14], a species-specific quantitative PCR assay for G. lapilHARMFUL ALGAE NEWS NO. 65 / 2020 Harmful Algae News An IOC Newsletter on Toxic Algae and Algal Blooms No. 65 - September 2020 www.ioc-unesco.org/hab Genomic resources for the domoic acid-producing diatom Pseudo-nitzschia multistriata Species responsible for Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are among the best studied unicellular microa Fig. 2. Schematic drawing of the life cycle of the pennate diatom Pseudo-nitzschia multistriata. The vegetative phase is characterized by progressive cell size reduction of the population. When cells reach the sexual size threshold (SST), they can either keep decreasing in size until they die, or un Fig. 3. The genome browser available on the SZN BioInforma platform. The genome could be sequenced exploiting inbred strains, obtained from the cross of a first generation of sibling strains [7]. Because of the lower polymorphism of inbreds, it was possible to reconstruct long fragments of DNA from When tides collide: Harmful cyanobacterial and microalgal blooms in Florida and implications for risk assessment Cyanobacterial blooms are a regular occurrence in southern Florida. Water releases from Lake Okeechobee to maintain the water level in this large lake regularly occur along the St. Lucie Pim and Calusa Waterkeepers for assistance in sampling. References 1. Metcalf JS et al (in press). Neurotox Res 2. Matthiensen et al 2000. In: de Koe WJ et al (eds), Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins in Perspective at the Turn of the Millenium. Proc Xth Int IUPAC symposium on Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins, Gu Record levels of Dinophysistoxin-2 in clams from Douarnenez Bay, France, after an unusual bloom of Dinophysis acuta Fig. 1. Location of Douarnenez Bay (48 5 29 North; 4 19 51 West), Western French Atlantic coast. The official monitoring network for phytoplankton and algal toxins in French shellfis Fig. 4. Weekly lipophilic toxin concentrations in Donax spp. in 2019 and 2020. Fig. 3. (A) Percentage of Dinophysis species in Douarnenez Bay water samples between 2010 and August 2020. (B) Mean percentage of DSP toxins in Douarnenez Bay in Donax spp. between 2010 and August 2020. recorded in Dona New insights on the diversity of the dinoflagellate genus Ostreopsis in lagoons of French Polynesia, South Pacific Ocean French Polynesia is a vast territory in the South Pacific Ocean, stretching over an expanse of more than 1,200 miles with a surface area as large as Europe. It is composed of 118 health hazards posed by the proliferation of this species in French Polynesian lagoons. Future studies should aim at developing a better understanding the biogeographic distribution of this species, as well as assessing the impacts of its associated toxins on coral reef ecosystems and/or putative ac Toxin profiles of Gambierdiscus lapillus from the Cook Islands Species of the dinoflagellate genus Gambierdiscus produce the toxins responsible for ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP), an illness that has been prevalent throughout the Pacific and particularly in the Cook Islands [1]. The illness is cause Fig. 3. Phylogenetic analysis of partial large subunit ribosomal DNA sequences (D8D10 region) from the Gambierdiscus strains isolated in this study (in bold font) using Bayesian analyses. Values at nodes represent Bayesian posterior probability support. Scale bar is substitutions per site. lus was Unusual bloom of the red alga Ceramium sp. (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta) in Cartagena, Colombia, SW Caribbean Sea Fig. 1. Map of the study site. Macroalgal blooms are frequently associated with eutrophication of coastal waters [1]. These blooms are mainly composed of ephemeral and opportunistic green a ported as bloom forming species, and this finding adds another genus to the group of harmful bloom-forming macroalgae. Furthermore, this report highlights the potential introduction of a new species which has passed undetected until now. This would not be the first case of a potentially introduced b Distribution of the fish-killing dinoflagellate Karlodinium (Dinophyceae) in the Johor Strait, Malaysia Fig. 1. Sampling sites in the Johor Strait Species of Karlodinium are naked dinoflagellates. More than one third of the named species have been known to cause fish mortality. Toxigenic Karlod- Bloom of a red tide species Akashiwo sanguinea in Semerak Lagoon, Kelantan, Malaysia March 2016: i.e. Pseudo-nitzschia spp. (potentially toxic species), Chaetoceros, Skeletonema, and Blixaea quinquecornis (red tides, fish kills) [3]. In this survey, we confirmed the blooming species as the dinoflag Fig. 3 Bayesian trees of Akashiwo sanguinea inferred from (A) LSU rDNA and (B) ITS datasets. Values on nodes represent bootstrap supports of MP, ML, and posterior probabilities of BI Continued from page 14 sulcus extension invading the epicone is visible (Fig. 3B). Cells are slightly pigmented, wi CLEFSA project identifies Harmful Algal Blooms as a threat to food safety resulting from climate change Fig. 1. Organizations involved in the CLEFSA project Climate change is one of the key drivers of emerging risks for food and feed safety, plant and animal health (including terrestrial and aquat Fig. 3. CLEFSA Multi-Criteria strategy which several directly related to toxins produced by harmful algal blooms (HABs). These include: ciguatoxin, domoic acid, okadaic acid, saxitoxin, pinnatoxin, tetrodotoxin, beta-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) and palytoxin analogues. The analysis indicates that Blooming Buddies: MSc Research Projects Extend our Knowledge on Bloom-Forming Freshwater Cyanobacteria Freshwater cyanobacteria blooms are an increasing problem globally and much work is focussing on understanding bloom dynamics and toxin production in order to better manage the inherent health risk Fig. 2. Confocal microscopy images of Planktothrix sp. CAWBG59 (A), Microcystis aeruginosa CAWBG617 (B) and Nodularia spumigena CAWBG21 (C) stained with SYTOXTM green so that lysed cells fluoresce green, whilst intact cells are detected by red chlorophyll autofluorescence. bacterium interfering wit 25 years of service enhancing the capacity to monitor and manage HABs Fig. 1. Participants from the first course held at the IOC Centre in Copenhagen in 1995 The IOC Science and Communication Centre on Harmful Algae opened in May 1995 at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. It was a new concept International Phytoplankton Intercomparison (IPI) exercise in abundance and composition of marine microalgae Dear participants of the annual IPI (International Phytoplankton Intercomparison) exercise in abundance and composition of marine microalgae: This note is to confirm that due to the ongoing p Canadian review: Marine harmful algal blooms and phycotoxins of concern to Canada As has been reinforced all too well in recent months with the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is indeed interconnected. The international harmful algal bloom community recognized this early on, with a series of internatio Fig. 2. Maps showing the location of selected phycotoxins on the Canadian east (left) and west (right) coast. Symbols represent domoic acid and okadaic acid group toxins above (closed symbols) and below (open symbols) the regulatory action level. The green shaded areas show the distribution of saxit Terri Wells (DFO-NAFC, St. Johns, NL); Michel Poulin (Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, ON); Wade A. Rourke (CFIA, Dartmouth, NS). Fig. 4. Heterosigma akashiwo bloom in Kyuquot, British Columbia, 1996 (Photo courtesy of Nicky Haigh, Microthalassia Consultants Inc., Nanaimo, BC) References 1. LoCi ISSHAs Corner CHA 2021 Hybrid Conference, NEW DATE!! Dear ISSHA members and colleagues: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and following recommendations of the World Health Organization and National Health Authorities, the 19th International Conference on Harmful Algae has been postponed to October 10-15 HAN Subscription To subscribe to Harmful Algae News anyone can send a mail to sympa@sympa. iode.org with the subject subscribe han do not write any text at all in the mail message itself. The system will send back a mail to you with subject similar to auth 22d6dcd9 subscribe han and with instructio