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Identification of the marine diatom Pseudo-nitzschia multiseries (Bacillariophyceae) as a source of the toxin domoic acid in Algoa Bay, South Africa

Published in: African Journal of Marine Science
Volume 36 , issue 4 , 2014 , pages: 523–528

DOI: 10.2989/1814232X.2014.983971

Author(s): GC Pitcher Branch: Fisheries Management, Department of Agriculture, South Africa , AD Cembella Alfred-Wegener Institut-Helmholtz Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Germany , B Krock Alfred-Wegener Institut-Helmholtz Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Germany , BM Macey Branch: Fisheries Management, Department of Agriculture, South Africa , L Mansfield Branch: Fisheries Management, Department of Agriculture, South Africa , TA Probyn Branch: Fisheries Management, Department of Agriculture, South Africa

Keywords: ELISA , LC/MS-MS , phylogeny

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Abstract

A unialgal culture of a Pseudo-nitzschia species dominant in the plankton of Algoa Bay in the spring of 2012 was established by isolation of clonal chains of cells. Identification of the species as Pseudo-nitzschia multiseries was based on frustule morphometrics provided by light and scanning electron microscopy, and confirmed by phylogenetic analysis of the LSU rDNA gene. Cultures were shown to produce domoic acid (DA) as measured by ELISA and LC/MS-MS methods, and levels of cellular DA were ∼0.1 pg cell^–1. Although it is recognised as a cosmopolitan species, these observations provide the first account of this toxic diatom in the coastal waters of South Africa.

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