Publication Date:
2019-07-17
Description:
Azadinium is a dinophycean genus capable of producing azaspiracids (AZAs), a recently discovered group
of lipophilic phycotoxins causing human intoxication via mussel consumption. Although initially
described from the North Sea, the genus currently consisting of four described species is probably
distributed worldwide. Here we report on Azadinium from the Shetland Islands, which are located in the
northernmost part of the North Sea and are largely influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. Two strains of
Azadinium were isolated from a single water sample. One strain was identified as Azadinium spinosum
based on morphology and sequence data and had an AZA cell quota of about 20 fg per cell, similar to all
other described strains of the species. The toxin profile consisted of AZA-1 and AZA-2 in a 2.3:1 ratio and
a yet undescribed AZA of 715 Da. The other strain represents a new species and is here described as
Azadinium polongum sp. nov. Like A. spinosum, but different to Azadinium obesum and Azadinium poporum,
A. polongum has an antapical spine. A. polongum differs from A. spinosum by an elongated shape of the
pore plate (Po), and X-plate, the location of the ventral pore, and the absence of a distinct pyrenoid with
starch sheath. Molecular analysis based on SSU, LSU, and ITS sequencing supported separation of
A. polongum at the species level. Detailed LC–MS analysis showed that A. polongum does not produce any
known AZAs in measureable amounts.
Repository Name:
EPIC Alfred Wegener Institut
Type:
Article
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isiRev
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