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Identifier

000428680

Title

Μακροχρόνιες υποθνησιγόνες επιδράσεις του κυανοφύκους Microcystis aeruginosa στη δομή και λειτουργία του zebrafish, Danio rerio (Hamilton 1822)

Alternative Title

Sublethal long-term effects of cyanobacterium M. aeruginosa on zebrafish form and function

Author

Σέργη, Εμμανολία Κ.

Thesis advisor

Κουμουνδούρος, Γεώργιος

Reviewer

Καρακάσης, Ιωάννης
Σωμαράκης, Στυλιανός

Abstract

Cyanobacterial blooms are intensifying in parallel with climate change and eutrophication. Microcystis aeruginosa comprises a species of freshwater cyanobacteria which can form a plethora of bioactive compounds, some of which have toxic effects. The toxicity of cyanobacteria is mainly due to Microcystin-LR (MCLR), an endotoxin that bioaccumulates in fish tissues and affects many systems and functions. In parallel, other substances produced by cyanobacteria have the ability to enhance MCLR toxicity. Aim of the present study was to shed light on the effect of a short (two day long) exposure of sublethal levels (200 mg/L) of Microcystis aeruginosa extract during the embryonic period of the zebrafish on long term effects (one to three months after exposure) in structure and function of fishes. In order to answer this question, we performed studies on swimming performance, body shape, skeletal structure and red muscle of metamorphosing larvae and male adults. Furthermore, we investigated the alterations in the heart shape of the juveniles. Our data strongly support that MCLR significantly decreases the relative critical swimming speed of juveniles by 1.4 total length per second (p%lt; 0,05, Bonferroni test), decreases length/ height heart ratio making heart more circular (p %lt; 0,05, Mann-Whitney U test), and finally causes significant changes in red muscles, which results in 13% decrease of the actlivity of succinate dehydrogenase (p%lt;0,01, Mann-Whitney U test). Moreover, geometric morphometric analysis of both metamorphosing larvae and adult fish revealed that this specific toxin has a significant effect in their body shape, while osteological examination showed increased incidence of skeletal deformities of vertebral column (p%lt;0,05, G-test). In conclusion, these results can play a key role in understanding the effects of cyanobacterial blooms on aquatic organisms

Language

Greek

Subject

Body shape

Critical swimming speed

Ecotoxicology

Fish

NCLR

Red muscles

Skeletal malformation

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